UC-NRLF 


B    M    IDl    7n 


1 

f 

1 

|i;,j. 

1 

W^'  y 

I 

W'''/<' , 

1 

m^'X'. 

:^; 


f^ 


LIBRARV 

University  of  California. 


OIKT  OK 


.M,Q,A.OF  U 

Accession :1 .0;J[.§3.2 ^Imss  J^JTtp. 


^:v- 


•*-t\ 


.^*.  >-.—.-;  . 


THE 


CASTLE    BUILDERS. 


BY  THE  AUTHOR  OF 


>i  I-  ^' 


"HEARTSEASE,"    "THE    HEIR    OF    REDCLYFFE" 
"SCENES    AND    CtlARACTERS," 


EIGHT  THOUSAND. 


NEW  YORK : 
D.     APPLETON     AND     COMPANY 

443    &    445    BEOA.DWAT. 

M.DCCC.LXIV. 


?E5 


sqiz 


C31 


THE  CASTLE  BUILDERS. 


CHAPTER  I. 


I  would  build  a  cloudy  house 
For  my  thoughts  to  live  in, 

"When  for  earth  too  fancy  loose, 
And  too  low  for  Heaven, 

Hush !    I  talk  my  dream  alone : 

I  build  it  bright  to  see ; 
I  build  it  on  the  moon-lit  cloud, 

To  which  I  looked  with  thee. 

E.  B.  Beowning. 


About  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  the  yellow  foggy  light 
of  a  spring,  or  rather  winter  day  in  London,  came,  for  it 
could  not  be  said  to  shine,  through  the  two  windows  of  a 
large  apartment,  which  the  long  table  and  the  numerous 
desks  and  books,  distinguished  as  a  school-room.  Large 
maps  hung  against  the  wall ;  there  was  a  piano,  a  pair  of 
globes,  sundry  drawing  desks  and  easels^  in  the  midst  of 
which  were  nearly  a  score  of  girls  from  twelve  years  old 
to  seventeen,  their  gay  chatter  and  bright  looks  proving 
how  little  power  the  restraints  of  school  had  to  check 
their  flow  of  spirits  in  this  hour  of  relaxation.  Yet  there 
was  an  air  of  thoughtfulness  on  the  countenances  of  two 
or  three  of  the  elder  ones,  who  were  seated  at  their  desks, 
either  turning  over  papers  or  seeking  earnestly  in  books 
which  seemed  of  a  graver  cast  than  those  in  which  their 
studies  usually  lay ;  blushes,  too,  there  were,  and  looks  of 
nervousness  and  embarrassment,  as  if  something  unusual 


101832 


4  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

was  impending.  All  started  when  the  door  opened,  and 
admitted  two  young  ladies,  evidently  sisters,  who  came  in, 
one  with  a  downcast  pensive  eye.  the  other  with  her  cheek 
glowing,  but  looking  relieved. 

'  Miss  Enderby,'  said  the  second,  '  Mr.  AValton  is 
ready  for  you.' 

*  Oh  ! '  said  Miss  Enderby,  slowly  rising,  '  how  I  wish 
I  had  a  sister  or  anybody  to  go  with  me  !  Must  I  go 
alone?     I  quite  dread  it !     Does  he  say  much,  Kate? ' 

*  0,  he  is  very  kind,'  was  the  answer.  *  You  will  find 
it  much  better  than  you  expect.' 

'  That  I  promise  you,  without  even  knowing  what  he  is 
like.  You  see  he  has  not  quite  eaten  them  up,  so  there 
are  hopes  for  you,'  cried  Miss  Allen,  a  lively  young  girl, 
as  Miss  Enderby  left  the  room  with  a  sigh  and  look  of 
reluctance.  '  0,  let  me  see,'  she  added,  arresting  the  hand 
of  Kathcrine,  who  was  going  to  put  a  small  folded  piece 
of  paper  into  her  desk.  '  Let  me  look,  pray,'  and  two  or 
three  heads  crowding  together,  their  owners  had  the  satis- 
faction of  reading  '  Kathcrine  Eleanor  Berners,  aged  16, 
examined  for  Confirmation,  and  approved.     J.  Walton.' 

'  And  yours,  let  us  see  yours ! '  cried  some  others, 
fastcuing  on  the  other  ticket,  which  ran  thus  :  '  Emmeline 
Mary  Berners,  aged  17,  examined  for  Confirmation,  and 
approved.     J.  Walton.' 

'Did  he  ask  you  very  hard  questions?'  proceeded 
Susan  Allen. 

'  No,'  said  Emmeline,  '  he  only  said  a  few  words  to  us.' 
And  as  if  to  put  an  end  to  the  subject,  she  sat  down  to 
her  desk,  took  up  a  book,  and  seemed  to  read,  though  a 
sigh  now  and  then  might  prove  that  she  was  thinking, 

Kate  waited  a  little  longer  to  answer  the  interrogations 
of  her  companions,  until  the  return  of  Miss  Enderby  re- 
moved the  general  attention  from  her,  and  she  was  able 
to  move  close  to  her  sister,  and  say,  unheard  by  the  others, 
'Emmie,  dear,  what  do  you  think  about  it?' 

'  I  liked  what  he  said  very  much,'  was  Emmelinc's 
reply. 

'  Ah  !  but  about  that  I ' 

'  0  !  I  am  sure  I  could  never  go  now,'  said  Emmeline, 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  5 

hastily.  '  You  know  Miss  Danby  lets  us  do  as  wo  plcaso 
about  it.' 

'  Constance  used  to  go,'  said  Kate. 

'  Yes,  but  Constance  alwajs  was  so  different  from  us. 
If  we  had  her  still,  or  if  we  had  Herbert  to  talk  to  us,  it 
would  do  better  ;  but  here,  among  all  the  others,  and 
thinking  about  all  sorts  of  things,  as  we  must  do  here,  I 
am  sure  we  could  never  be  fit.' 

'  He  said  if  we  were  fit  for  Confirmation  we  were  fit 
for  the  Sacrament,'  said  Kate ;  '  but  I  can't  quite  see  how 
that  can  be.  We  promised  all  these  things  by  our  god- 
fathers and  godmothers,  and  are  bound  to  do  them  now, 
so  it  does  not  seem  so  much  to  promise  them  for  ourselves; 
but  the  other — it  is  a  great  deal  too  awful !  ' 

'  0  yes  1  '  said  Emmeline,  raising  her  eyes,  and  sighing, 
'  This  is  no  place  for  preparation.  When  we  have  left 
school  and  can  manage  as  we  please,  it  will  be  another 
thing.  When  Herbert  and  Constance  come  home,  they 
will  help  us.' 

'  If  they  were  at  home,  I  know  what  they  would  say,' 
said  Kate. 

'■  Yes,  and  we  should  be  fitter,'  sighed  Emmeline.  '  I 
shall  write  and  tell  Constance  all  that  I  feel,  and  I  think 
she  will  agree  with  me  that  we  had  better  wait  till  we 
have  more  time  for  thought.  Yet  I  am  always  afraid  of 
teazing  her  by  asking  her  deep  questions  in  the  midst  of 
her  journey,  and  when  she  wants  to  attend  to  Herbert. 
0  if  he  was  better,  and  mamma  in  England,  how  happy 
we  should  be  ! ' 

'  Happy,  indeed,'  said  Kate ;  '  we  all  living  with 
mamma  and  papa  at  Copseley,  as  you  settled  so  long  ago, 
that  nice  plan  of  yours.' 

'  Yes,  then  I  think  we  could  be  quite  good,'  said 
Emmeline.  '  Think  of  walking  into  the  little  parsonage, 
and  reading  with  Constance  as  we  used  to  do  !  And  then 
how  we  would  teach  the  children.  I  could  soon  learn 
Latin  enough  for  Alfred,  and  you  should  have  Janet,  and 
we  could  be  so  useful.  Going  to  the  school,  too.  We 
would  get  papa  to  build  such  a  beauty,  all  gable  ends, 
and  chimneys,  with  roses  twining  over  them,  and  all  the 


6  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

village  children  would  be  so  fond  of  us,  and  bring  Uh 
nosegays.' 

'  Yes,  and  we  would  have  one  for  our  own  little  maid,' 
said  Kate,  '  hear  her  read  every  day ;  and  oh  !  what  a 
garden  we  would  have  ! ' 

'  Honeysuckle  climbing  up  to  our  windows  and  per- 
fuming our  room,'  said  Emmeline,  '  and  a  greenhouse  like 
the  one  at  Rowthorpe,  where  we  might  sit  and  read  in  the 
summer.' 

'  And  plenty  of  ponies  and  donkeys  to  go  out  riding 
on,'  said  Kate.  '  I  do  not  think  we  have  quite  forgotten 
all  Lord  Somerville's  riding  lessons,  and  we  shall  have 
Alfred  to  go  out  with  us,  and  Herbert  and  Constance  too.' 

'  Delightful ! '  said  Emmeline.  '  Oh  !  but  to  have 
mamma  and  the  children,  that  would  be  happiness  enough 
anywhere  !  I  feel  as  if  to  nestle  to  her  would  be  too 
much.  If  one  could  but  reach  out  with  one's  arms  as  one 
does  with  one's  heart,  dear  mamma,  dear  Constance,  how 
soon  we  would  meet.' 

At  that  moment  a  double  knock  re-echoed  through 
the  house,  and  presently  it  was  announced  that  Lady 
Frances  Somerville  was  come  to  call  on  the  Miss  Berners. 
These  were  pleasant  tidings,  for  Lady  Frances  was  the 
elder  sister  of  the  already-mentioned  '  Herbert,'  their 
brother-in-law,  and  with  great  eagerness  they  descended 
to  the  drawing-room. 

There  they  found  a  lady  of  about  thirty,  not  pretty, 
but  very  pleasing,  with  a  sweet  placidity  of  expression, 
and  soft  brown  eyes,  which  smiled  more  than  her  lips ; 
she  was  tall  and  slender,  and  her  dress,  plain,  quiet, 
delicate  in  colour  and  of  handsome  materials,  had  that 
sort  of  wave  and  flow  which  might  recall  to  mind  the 
forms  which  have  occasioned  the  birch  tree  to  be  called 
the  '  Lady  of  Trees.'  As  soon  as  the  girls  had  glanced 
round  to  see  that  she  was  alone  and  that  they  need  not  be 
on  their  good  behaviour,  they  flew  up  to  her,  and  joyously 
received  and  returned  her  affectionate  embrace. 

'  Yes,  you  ought  to  be  glad  to  see  me,'  said  she,  in  a 
cheerful,  cordial  tone,  '  for  I  have  excellent  news  for  you. 
Here  is  a  letter  from  Somerville,  with  a  capital  account 
of  dear  Herbert.' 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 


'  0,  that  is  delightful,'  cried  Kate.  '  Thank  you^ 
thank  you.     Where  are  they  ?     At  Rome  yet  ?  ' 

'  No,  at  Terni,  hoping  to  get  to  Rome  in  two  days' 
time.  Herbert  was  much  less  tired  than  they  expectedj 
though  they  have  been  taking  longer  days'  journeys  than 
at  first ;  he  coughs  very  little,  and  has  had  no  pain  in  the 
chest.  He  has  really  been  able  to  enjoy  the  journey  ever 
since  they  came  into  Italy.  Then  you  had  not  heard 
from  Constance  ? ' 

'No,'  said  Emmeline, 'not  since  they  left  Florence. 
It  was  very  kind  in  you  to  come  and  tell  us.' 

'  The  news  was  too  good  to  keep  to  myself,'  said  Lady 
Frances,  smiling,  '  and  it  is  such  a  treat  to  find  some  one 
to  tell  it  to  besides  papa.  0,  and  I  must  tell  you  that 
Somerville  says  Constance  is  such  a  capital  manager,  and 
makes  the  rooms  at  the  inns  look  so  pleasant  and  com- 
fortable directly,  that  he  can  do  nothing  but  stand  and 
admire,  and  think  how  different  it  was  when  he  was  there 
alone.     Is  that  one  of  the  arts  you  learn  here  ?  ' 

'  It  must  have  been  inspiration  that  taught  her,'  said 
Emmeline,  laughing ;  '  I  never  could  make  anything  com- 
fortable, not  even  a  doll.' 

'  You  are  looking  white  to-day,  Emmie.'  said  Lady 
Frances,  kindl}^ 

'  We  have  just  had  our  last  interview  with  Mr.  Wal- 
ton,' said  Kate,  '  and  she  is  so  nervous.' 

'  Ah  !  I  wanted  to  know  when  the  Confirmation  is  to 
take  place,'  said  Lady  Frances. 

'  On  Monday,  at  eleven  o'clock,'  said  Emmeline. 

'  At  St.  George's,  I  suppose  1  I  must  try  to  be  there, 
Constance  will  wish  to  hear  about  it.' 

'  0,  you  are  so  kind,'  -cried  Kate,  while  Emmeline 
looked  down.  '  It  will  be  a  great  comfort  to  know  you 
are  there,  poor  Emmie  is  so  frightened.' 

'  It  is  so  awful,'  said  Emmeline,  blushing. 

'  Yes,  indeed,'  said  Lady  Frances,  '  the  vow  would  be 
too  fearful  but  for  the  blessing,  and  that  to  which  it 
admits  us.' 

'  There  is  what  makes  me  uncomfortable,'  said  Em- 
meline. 

'  About  the  Sacrament,'  added  Kate. 


8  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

*  I  cannot  bear  tlie  responsibility  of  going  or  of  staying 
away,'  said  Enimeline.  '  0,  I  am  so  far  from  being  good 
enough.' 

'  It  is  the  means,  not  the  reward  of  goodness,'  said 
Lady  Frances. 

'  0,  Lady  Frances,  I  do  think  one  talk  with  you  would 
clear  all  up,'  said  Emmeline. 

'  I  should  like  very  much  to  try  to  help  you,'  said 
Lady  Frances.  '  Next  time  papa  dines  out  without  me, 
I  will  send  the  carriage,  and  I  dare  say  Miss  Danby  will 
let  me  have  you.  But  I  do  not  think  one  talk  would  do, 
especially  with  me,  who  am  not  the  right  person.  Have 
not  you  been  able  to  tell  your  clergyman  your  difficulties  ? 
Does  not  he  see  you  in  private  ?  ' 

'  Yes,'  said  Emmeline,  smiling,  as  she  looked  down  and 
blushed  ;  '  but  I  do  not  know  whether  it  was  our  fault  or 
not,  we  never  could  say  one  word  for  ourselves  when  we 
were  sitting  up  opposite  to  him,  and  he  making  a  hesita- 
ting sort  of  lecture,  wishing  it  was  over,  I  am  sure,  quite 
as  much  as  we  did.' 

Lady  Frances  could  not  help  smiling,  though  rather 
sadly,  at  the  quiet  grave  humour  of  the  manner  in  which 
Emmeline  represented  the  mutual  embarrassment  of  the 
young  curate  and  his  catechumens. 

'  It  was  all  very  well,'  added  Kate,  '  when  we  were 
all  together  in  a  class,  protected  by  numbers.  It  was  not 
much  worse  to  confront  him  than  Signor  Piccini ;  but 
in  that  room,  all  by  ourselves,  without  so  much  as  an 
exercise  book  to  look  at  !  0,  the  awkwardness  was  be- 
yond description.' 

'  If  it  had  but  been  Herbert,'  said  Emmeline. 

'  Yes,  Herbert  would  be  your  right  instructor,'  said 
Lady  Frances,  '  and  why  should  you  not  write  to  him  ?  ' 

'  I  never  could  say  what  I  mean  in  a  letter,'  said 
Emmeline  ;  '  I  am  sure  I  could  not  to  him,  nor  even  to 
Constance  herself.     Besides,  it  would  worry  him.' 

'  No,  that  it  would  not,'  said  Lady  Frances ;  '  it  would 
give  him  more  pleasure  than  anything  to  feel  himself 
still  of  use.  I  do  hope  you  will  write  to  him,  it  is  just 
what  he  would  wish.  By-the-by,  where  was  Constance 
confirmed  ?  ' 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  9 

'  At  Albury,'  said  Kate,  fist  before  we  came  here. 
She  was  only  fourteen  ;  but  old  Mr.  Law.  our  clergyman 
there,  was  very  anxious  it  should  be  done.  He  was  very 
fond  of  her.' 

'  Well,'  said  Lady  Frances,  '  when  you  come  to  me, 
I  will  show  you  some  of  the  papers  that  were  given  me 
when  I  was  confirmed.' 

The  girls  eagerly  thanked  her,  and  next  she  asked  if 
they  had  heard  lately  from  India. 

'  Not  by  the  last  mail,'  said  Kate,  '  I  cannot  think  why, 
for  I  am  sorry  to  say  the  idea  of  coming  home  is  given 
up  again  for  the  present.  They  think  now  of  staying 
another  year,  and  sending  home  little  Alfred  without 
them.' 

'  Oh !  that  is  a  very  great  disappointment,'  said  Lady 
Frances.     *  Where  would  the  little  boy  go  ?  ' 

'  To  Mr.  AVilloughby,'  said  Emmeline,  '  the  uncle 
Frank  Willoughby  spends  his  holidays  with.  We  shall 
never  see  him  at  all.  It  is  very  vexatious  after  so  many 
hopes  of  mamma's  return  ;  but  everything  does  go  wrong 
now.' 

'  No  no,  Emmie,  not  Herbert's  getting  well,'  said 
Kate  cheerfully. 

Lady  Frances  looked  sorrowful,  and  did  not  make 
any  answer  to  this,  only  proceeding  to  tell  them  that 
the  old  elm  at  Rowthrope  had  been  blown  down,  and 
other  news  of  the  same  kind,  and  soon  after  she  wished 
them  good-bye. 

'  Poor  things,'  murmured  she,  leaning  back  in  the 
carriage,  '  I  wish  I  could  do  more  for  them ;  I  half 
promised  Constance  to  do  what  I  could  towards  supply- 
ing her  place  to  them  ;  and  yet  what  can  I  do  ?  I  cannot 
inflict  two  school-girls  again  upon  papa,  though  he  was 
very  good-natured,  and  these  are  such  nice  girls  that  I 
believe  we  all  enjoyed  their  visit  last  year  very  much, 
even  Somerville  himself.  Yes,  we  were  very  happy  then  ; 
but  then  we  were  all  in  good  spirits,  and  now — 0,  is  it 
safe  to  let  myself  hope  ?  Is  it  not  foolish  to  catch  at  this 
first  gleam  when  I  have  sufi'ered  so  much,  and  learnt  how 
vain  such  hopes  were,  by  seeing  them  fade  away  in  Anne's 
1* 


10  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

case  ?  No,  this  is  ingratitude.  Did  not  they  come  to 
cheer  me,  and  support  nic  through  all  that  followed,  and 
now  why  am  not  I  more  thankful  that  dear  Herbert  himself 
is  relieved  from  the  present  suffering,  and  his  gentle  little 
w^ifo  from  anxiety  ?  Yet,  let  me  dwell  on  this,  and  then 
I  shall  be  the  better  able  to  cheer  papa  up,  wliile  I  leave 
the  future  to  Him  who  knows  what  is  best  for  all  of  us, 
'  I  wonder  what  is  best  to  be  done,'  continued  Lady 
Frances,  in  her  meditations,  '  to  put  these  jioor  girls  into 
the  right  way  of  thinking  about  their  Confirmation.  They 
have  knowledge  enough,  but  it  is  all  a  school  lesson,  the 
Clergyman  a  master ;  it  all  wants  reality,  and  to  be 
brought  home  to  them — no  wonder,  I  suppose,  the  only 
marvel  is  that  it  should  be  so  different  with  Constance, 
Here  Lady  Frances'  carriage  stopped,  and  thus  brought 
her  meditations  to  a  sudden  conclusion. 

Constance,  Emmelnie,  and  Katherine  Berners,  were 
the  daughters  of  an  officer  who  had  married  in  India. 
They  had  been  sent  to  England  when  Constance  was  six 
years  old  and  Katherine  four,  and  placed  by  their  uncle, 
Mr.  Berners,  under  the  care  of  Mrs.  Ellison,  a  Clergy- 
man's widow,  with  whom  they  had  scarcely  spent  a  few 
months  before  intelligence  arrived  that  their  father  had 
died,  after  a  few  hours  suffering,  frona  one  of  the  sudden 
short  illnesses  of  India.  Their  mother,  accustomed  to 
an  Indian  life,  with  her  father  and  mother  and  all  her 
family  their  resident,  was  in  no  haste  to  return  to  Eng 
land,  and  after  about  eighteen  months,  she  married  Sir 
Francis  Willoughby,  a  General  in  the  Company's  service, 
and  a  widower  with  one  son,  who  was  of  course  in  Eng- 
land for  education. 

When  Constance  was  about  fourteen,  the  three  sisters 
were  removed  from  Mrs.  Ellison's  and  placed  at  Miss 
Danby's  establishment,  a  school  which  proved  to  have 
been  better  chosen  than  could  have  been  expected  from 
the  careless  habits  of  their  uncle,  who  lived  chiefly 
abroad,  thought  his  little  nieces  a  burthen,  and  only 
tried  to  go  as  far  as  he  could  from  the  trouble  of  attend 
ing  to  them,  or  to  his  property.  It  was  a  superior  style 
of  school,  well  conducted,  and  where  a  good  deal  was 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  11 

tauglit ;  and  if  there  was  not  the  same  carefu),  afifcction' 
ate,  motherly  training  as  they  had  experienced  from 
Mrs.  Ellison,  to  whom  they  had  been  more  like  daughters 
than  scholars,  there  was  much  well-judging,  successful 
care,  both  of  their  bodies  and  minds,  though  it  might 
perhaps  be  that  the  care  was  more  of  their  minds  than  of 
their  souls. 

The  Miss  Berners  had  no  near  relations  in  England, 
and  were  therefore  obliged  to  spend  the  holidays  at 
school,  unless  any  of  their  companions  persuaded  their 
parents  to  take  compassion  on  them.  Constance  was  a 
person  of  many  friends,  and  for  her  sake  they  were  almost 
always  in  request,  though  Emmeline,  more  shy,  and  less 
inclined  to  exert  herself  in  behalf  of  acquaintance,  clung 
to  her  elder  and  younger  sisters,  and  though  generally 
liked,  did  not  form  friendships,  .  At  seventeen  Constance 
left  school,  and  went  to  pay  a  round  of  visits  to  relations 
and  acquaintances,  before  rejoining  her  mother  in  India. 
The  first  of  these  was  to  Miss  Forester,  a  Clergyman's 
daughter,  who  had  long  ago  made  Constance  promise  to 
come  to  the  Consecration  of  a  new  Church  just  completed 
in  her  father's  parish. 

Lord  Herbert  Somerville  had  lately  been  ordained  to 
the  curacy  of  the  new  church,  and  was  likewise  staying 
at  Mr.  Forester's,  waiting  till  his  own  abode  at  Copseley 
Hamlet  could  be  made  habitable.  Fresh  from  Oxford, 
with  a  high  reputation  for  talent,  and  with  goodness,  of 
which  the  Forester  family  were  never  weary  of  talking — 
with  a  fine  intellectual  countenance,  set  off  by  a  pair  of 
thoughtful  yet  lustrous  eyes,  Constance  looked  up  to  him 
as  perfection  in  every  respect,  listened  with  delight  to  his 
conversations  with  Mr.  Forester,  and  thought  it  marvel- 
lous condescension  and  good  nature  in  him  to  explain  to 
her  Church  architecture,  talk  over  books,  wait  kindly  for 
her  answer,  as  if  it  could  be  worth  hearing,  and  listen  to 
her  singing. 

Little  did  Constance  guess  at  her  own  patent  for 
popularity ;  to  her  an  invitation  for  two  days  in  the 
holidays  seemed  a  great  undeserved  piece  of  kindness, 
for  which  she  could  never  be  sufficiently  grateful;  and 


12  THE    CASTLE    EUILDEIlS. 

she  was  the  only  person  who  was  not  sensible  of  tha 
charm  of  her  sweet,  modest  countenance — her  bright, 
brisk  helpfulness — her  great  refinement  of  tone  and  man- 
ner— her  simplicity  and  earnestness — her  full  conviction 
of  her  own  ignorance  and  insignificance,  and  her  great 
desire  for  improvement  of  every  kind.  She  was  more 
surprised  than  any  body  else  when,  at  the  end  of  her  six 
weeks'  visit,  she  found  this  first  of  human  beings  actually 
asking  her  to  marry  him  ! 

Her  wonder  was  only  equalled  by  that  which  she  ex- 
perienced at  the  tall,  gray-haired  Marquis  of  Liddesdale, 
at  whom,  at  the  dinner  on  the  Consecration  day,  she  had 
looked  from  the  other  end  of  the  table,  on  the  principle 
that  a  cat  may  look  at  a  king  ;  when  he,  so  far  from  set- 
ting his  face  against  this  attachment  of  his  son's,  came 
from  Rowthorpe  for  the  very  purpose  of  seeing  her  again, 
and  showed  her  all  the  kindness  and  affection  she  could 
have  looked  for  in  a  father ;  when  Lord  Somerville  was 
full  of  cordial  good-nature,  and  when  Lady  Frances  threw 
her  arm  around  her  and  whispered  with  tearful  eyes  that 
now  she  should  have  a  sister  again. 

Nothing  was  waited  for  but  the  needful  correspond- 
ence with  Lady  Willoughby ;  and  in  the  summer  the  wed- 
ding took  place,  making  Emmeline  and  Katherine,  to  say 
nothing  of  other  people,  supremely  happy,  and  filling  the 
heads  of  Miss  Danby's  young  ladies  to  a  greater  extent 
than  usual  with  visions  of  lordly  lovers. 

Never  were  Emmeline  and  Katherine  more  happy  than 
during  that  summer.  First  there  was  the  wedding, 
which  secured  their  sister  to  them  as  they  thought,  in- 
stead of  taking  her  away  from  them;  then  they  spent 
three  weeks  at  Lord  Liddesdale's,  after  which  Lord  and 
Lady  Herbert  came,  and  at  the  end  of  another  week  took 
them,  for  the  remainder  of  the  holidays,  back  to  their 
Copseley  home,  as  they  delighted  in  calling  it.  There 
they  looked  forward  to  spending  Christmas,  but  a  great 
disappointment  was  in  store  for  them.  Lord  Herbert's 
health  had  never  been  strong,  and  in  the  autumn  symp- 
toms of  complaint  in  the  lungs  began  to  show  themselves  ; 
he  was  ordered  without  loss  of  time  to  a  warmer  climate  ; 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  13 

and  In  the  early  part  of  December,  he  set  off  for  Italy, 
with  his  wife  and  his  elder  brother. 

Instead  of  the  joyous  Christmas  so  eagerly  expected, 
Emmeline  and  Kate  had  to  spend  a  winter  of  anxiety 
and  disappointment;  the  school  more  cheerless  than 
usual  in  its  deserted  state,  and  their  evenings  only  now 
and  then  enlivened  by  some  treat  devised  by  Miss  Danby, 
or  by  an  invitation  from  some  compassionating  London 
friend.  Happily  for  them,  they  were  a  very  fond  pair 
of  sisters,  enjoying  a  very  little  together  more  than  a 
great  deal  apart.  Emmeline,  though  the  more  shy, 
retiring  and  undemonstrative  with  strangers,  was  the 
leader  in  every  thing  when  alone  with  her  sister,  for 
Kate  thought  her  unequalled  save  by  Constance,  and 
would  scarcely  have  had  such  high  buoyant  spirits, 
if  she  had  not  been  always  at  her  side.  Moreover, 
Emmeline  was  a  most  magnificent  and  unbounded 
dreamer,  and  Kate  had  implicit  faith  in  her  castles,  so 
that  as  the  two  sisters  sat  over  the  fire,  the  comfortless 
present  was  forgotten  in  a  future  so  clearly  defined,  that 
they  might  almost  be  said  to  live  in  it.  They  had  built 
a  mansion  for  Sir  Francis  and  Lady  "Willoughby,  where 
they  could  almost  have  counted  the  rooms — they  had 
devised  a  plan  of  education  for  their  little  brothers  and 
sisters,  with  abundance  of  ready-made  moral  stories  for 
their  benefit — they  had  restored  Constance  and  her  hus- 
band to  Copseley,  and  had  very  nearly  heard  the  bells 
ring  for  their  return.  Emmeline  could  have  been  almost 
sorry  when  the  return  of  their  companions  put  an  end  to 
these  delightful  romancings. 


14  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 


CHAPTER  11. 


We  told  o'er  all  that  avc  had  done, 

Our  rambles  by  the  swift  brook's  side ; 
Far  as  the  willow-skirted  pool, 
Where  two  fair  swans  tofrether  glide. 

WOEDSWOETD. 


It  was  the  day  after  Lady  Frances  Somerville's  visit^ 
and  Emmeliue  was  almost  lost  to  the  cares  of  this  world, 
in  the  absorbing  task  of  finding  English  for  one  of  those 
commencements  of  Kerman  chapters,  of  which  the  author 
once  said,  that  Heaven  doubtless  kenw  its  meaning,  but 
he  did  not.  Katherine  was  as  earnestly,  and  less  hope- 
lessly intent  on  the  intricacies  of  a  circular  temple  in 
perspective,  and  all  the  young  ladies  around  were  as 
iDusily  engaged,  when  the  door  opened  and  Miss  Danby 
made  her  appearance,  stately  and  formal  as  usual,  but 
with  a  certain  affability  of  countenance  which  reassured 
the  lesser  girls,  who  had  begun  to  tremble,  lest  she  had 
captured  certain  stray  books  and  work-baskets. 

'  Miss  Berners,  Miss  Katherine  Berners,'  said  this 
dignified  personage.  Kate  jumped  up  in  hopes  of  an 
invitation  from  Lady  Frances.  Emmeline  was  touched 
by  her  neighbour  and  rose,  still  mazed  by  the  German 
mystification, 

'  I  am  glad  to  be  the  bearer  of  intelligence  which  will 
give  you  much  pleasure,'  said  Miss  Danby,  measuring 
out  her  words  with  precision,  which  ill  suited  the  im- 
patient Kate.  You  will  be  surprised  to  hear  who  your 
visitor  is.' 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  15 

'  Constance  ?  Impossible  ! '  thought  Kate.  *  O,  it 
must  be  little  Alfred.     If  she  woulu  but  speak  faster.' 

'  Sir  Francis  Willoughby  is  in  the  drawing-room' — ■ 
came  at  last.  Emmeline  and  Kate  looked  at  each  other, 
one  turned  white  and  the  other  red,  and  Katherine 
breathlessly  asked,  '  And  mamma  ?  ' 

'  Lady  Willoughby  is  in  London,'  said  Miss  Danby ; 
then  seeing  how  Emmeline  trembled  with  agitation,  and 
her  colour  varied  fast,  she  added,  '  Compose  yourself, 
my  dear  Miss  Berners,  pray  do  not  be  agitated.  I  am 
sure  Sir  Francis  has  a  countenance  full  of  indulgence  and 
benignity.' 

Emmeline  drew  two  or  three  deep  breaths,  and 
trembling  all  over,  would  nevertheless  have  run  at  full 
speed  to  the  drawdng-room,  but  that  she  was  obliged  to 
follow  the  slow  pacing  steps  of  Miss  Danby,  which  gave 
time  for  all  her  thousand  hopes  and  fears  about  her 
mother  and  step-father  to  flit  confusedly  through  her 
brain.  Her  cheek  altered  so  fast  from  red  to  white, 
and  the  hand  which  clasped  her  sister's  was  so  cold  and 
shaking,  that  Kate's  attention  was  almost  entirely 
absorbed  in  watching  her.  At  last  they  were  at  the  top 
of  the  broad  stairs,  at  the  door.  Miss  Danby  opened  it, 
and  waved  them  forward  with  her  sweeping  dignity. 
'  Here  are  my  pupils,  Sir  Francis.  This,  my  dear  girls, 
is  the  moment  you  have  so  long  desired.' 

'  Ha  !  my  dears,  how  d'ye  do?  Surprised  to  see  me? 
Come,  you  must  let  me  have  a  kiss — your  papa,  you  know. 
Your  mamma  is  all  impatience  to  see  you.' 

It  was  not  the  sort  of  voice  for  which  Emmeline  had 
prepared  herself,  and  Kate,  the  first  to  look  up,  beheld 
something  very  unlike  what  they  had  expected — the 
general,  of  whom  they  were  so  proud,  and  who  had  actu- 
ally distinguished  himself  and  earned  his  knighthood. 
They  had  intended  him  to  be,  not  perhaps  quite  as  aristo- 
cratic as  Lord  Liddesdale,  but  at  any  rate  a  fine  old 
soldier,  with  a  grand  military  air,  whereas  they  saw  a  lit- 
tle man  with  a  face  that  looked  as  if  it  had  been  dried 
and  baked  to  the  colour  and  texture  of  a  mummy's  skin, 
thick  eyebrows,  and  whiskers  of  a  grey,  which  did  not 


16  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

agree  with  tlic  black  stiff  curls  of  what  Kate  took  to  be 
his  hair,  and  small  sharp  black  eyes  full  of  good  nature, 
which  was  probably  what  Miss  Danby  intended  by  be- 
nignity. Kate  saw  in  a  moment  that  there  was  nothing 
to  be  afraid  of,  and  spoke  out  boldly,  '0,  we  are  so  glad ! 
When  did  you  arrive?  ' 

'  We  landed  at  Southampton  yesterday,  came  by  rail- 
road, drove  to  an  hotel,  and  I  set  out  directly  after  break- 
fast to  take  you  to  mamma,  she  is  thinking  every  minute 
an  hour — ' 

'  Is  she  quite  well,  and  the  children  ? '  asked  Kate. 

•  Quite  well — oh  yes,  very,  only  rather  fatigued  with 
the  bustle  yesterday — Custom  house — Railway — new  place, 
or  she  would  have  been  here  herself,  and  Janet  is  a  lit- 
tle upset  too.  Come,  get  your  bonnets  on,  and  a  few 
things  put  together,  and  I  will  take  you  to  her,  but  we 
must  not  lose  time,  for  I  have  plenty  of  business  on 
my  hands.' 

The  two  girls  hurried  up-stairs,  prepared  almost  with- 
out speaking,  for  Erameline's  heart  was  too  full  and 
throbbing  for  words,  and  were  quickly  down  stairs  again. 
They  found  Sir  Francis  consulting  Miss  Danby  about  a 
governess  for  the  children,  saying  he  was  in  haste  to  find 
one,  as  their  Hindostanee  nurse  was  to  return  by  the 
next  ship,  and  they  were  quite  too  much  for  Lady  Wil- 
loughby.  Emmeline  thought  of  her  cherished  plan  of 
teaching  them,  but  it  was  no  time  to  put  it  forward,  and 
Miss  Danby  was  recommending  little  Miss  Townsend, 
the  small,  timid  under-tcacher,  who,  after  being  some 
years  a  boarder,  had  been  placed  in  that  situation  to 
qualify  herself  for  a  governess.  After  settling  that  she 
should  come  to  be  inspected  the  next  day.  Sir  Francis 
took  his  leave  ;  the  Miss  Berners  made  their  adieus  in 
the  most  approved  manner,  and  in  a  short  space  were 
seated  in  the  carriage  with  him. 

*  Well,  my  dears,'  he  began,  taking  hold  of  Emmeline's 
still  trembling  hand,  '  come,  tell  me  what  3'ou  think  of 
papa,  now  you  have  him  at  last?  '  Neither  had  the  least 
idea  what  to  answer,  and  he  went  on,  '  quite  surprised 
to  see  such  a  sun-dried  old  fellow?'  and  as  he  peeped 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  17 

under  Kate's  bonnet  as  she  sat  opposite  to  him,  ho 
laughed,  and  she  was  very  glad  to  do  so  too,  though  in 
a  nervous  embarrassed  manner.  '  Well,  never  mind,' 
he  continued,  '  we  shall  understand  each  other  very  well 
I  am  sure  I  did  not  expect  to  see  two  such  fine  hand- 
some young  women.  I  do  not  wonder  now  at  your 
sister's  good  luck.  So  you  were  quite  taken  by  sur- 
prise, were  you  ?  I  thought  so  ;  but  you  see,' — and 
on  he  went  with  an  explanation  of  the  motives  of  their 
sudden  return,  and  their  adventures  on  the  journey, 
till  the  sound  of  his  voice  blended  confusedly  in  Em- 
meline's  ears  with  the  rattling  of  the  carriage-wheels, 
whilst  her  whole  soul  was  absorbed  in  the  memory  of 
days  gone  by,  in  the  vision  of  the  soft-caressing  mother 
in  white  muslin — in  her  fancy,  the  very  impersonation 
of  grace,  sweetness,  and  beauty,  and  in  the  still  more 
shadowy  remembrance  of  her  father.  There  were  tears 
ready  to  spring  in  her  eyes,  and  she  was  glad  to  lean  on 
Kate's  arm,  when  they  left  the  carriage,  and  with  consid- 
erable bustle  were  conducted  up  stairs,  and  a  door  was 
thrown  open  before  them. 

'  Here  they  are — here  are  Emmeline  and  Kate,'  said 
Sir  Francis ;  and  Emmeline,  for  the  first  time  speaking, 
cried,  '  Mamma,  mamma,'  and  in  perfect  ecstasy,  fell 
into  the  outspread  arms,  and  received  the  soft  kisses 
just  as  of  old.  Then  it  was  Kate's  turn,  and  then  the 
mother  and  daughters  could  gaze  on  each  other,  she 
sitting  between  them  on  the  sofa,  holding  a  hand  of 
each,  and  looking  at  them  alternately,  while  their  eyes 
were  fixed  on  her  half  shyly,  and  half  caressingly.  There 
was  no  disappointment  in  that  gaze ;  Lady  Willoughby 
had  all  the  grace  and  softness  so  well  remembered  ;  she 
was  indeed  pale  and  faded,  and  her  eyes  at  ordinary 
moments  were  rather  sleepy,  but  she  was  tall  and  grace- 
ful, with  the  remains  of  considerable  beauty,  great  gen- 
tleness of  expression,  and  a  very  soft  musical,  though 
rather  languid  voice.  With  so  many  attractions,  it  was 
no  wonder  that  her  daughters  were  delighted  beyond 
expression. 

'  My  own  darlings  ! '  said  she,  drawing  them  closer  to 


16  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

her,  and  kissing  them  again,  '  and  which  is  Emmie,  and 
which  Kate?' 

'  Here — here  is  Emmie,'  said  Sir  Francis. 

'  No,  I  am  Kate,'  was  the  answer. 

'  You  do  not  mean  it — you  are  Emmeline.  Why,  I 
am  sure  the  old  lady,  governess,  mistress,  what  d'ye  call 
her  ?  told  me  as  plain  as  she  could  speak,  you  were  Miss 
Berners,  and  you  Miss  Katherine.' 

'  I  can't  help  it,'  said  Kate,  laughing,  '  I  only  know  I 
cannot  profess  to  be  anything  but  Miss  Katherine.' 

'  Never  mind,'  said  Lady  Willoughby,  '  I  shall  learn 
you  soon  enough.  You  are  my  dearest  girls,  and  that  is 
enough  for  me.' 

'  But,'  continued  Sir  Francis,  '  surely  now,  was  not  it 
Emmeline  that  talked  so  pleasantly  in  the  carriage  ? ' 

The  girls  thought  they  might  both  safely  have  dis- 
claimed the  talking,  but  Emmeline  said,  '  It  was  Kate 
that  talked  the  most.  You  may  always  know  her  be- 
cause she  is  the  tallest,  and  has  the  most  colour — in 
general,'  added  Emmeline,  as  she  felt  her  cheeks 
burning. 

'  Ah !  now,'  said  Lady  Willoughby,  *  I  see  my  little 
Emmie's  blue  eyes,  and  Katie's  own  roguish  smile.  Ah  ! 
you  were  a  sad  little  woman  in  those  days,  always  too 
much  for  poor  mamma.  Take  off  your  bonnets,  sweet 
ones,  and  let  me  see  if  they  are  not  the  same  dear  little 
faces.' 

No  one  could  be  surprised  at  Sir  Francis'  mistake,  for 
Katherine,  though  eleven  months  younger  than  her  sister, 
was  about  an  inch  taller.  Both  were  fair,  slight,  delicate 
looking  girls,  with  a  beautifully  fine  and  smooth  texture 
of  skin,  pretty  little  features,  blue  eyes  and  brown  hair, 
but  Kate  was  always  first  remarked  from  being  rather 
more  jnoiioncee  in  every  way.  The  light  rose-bud  tinge 
on  Emmeline's  cheek  was  almost  a  bloom  on  Kate's. 
Emmeline's  eyes  were  so  light,  that  they  wanted  all  the 
length  and  darkness  of  her  down-cast  sweeping  eye- 
lashes to  give  them  shade.  Kate's  were  more  widely 
opened,  of  the  same  clear  blue  colour,  but  of  much  deeper 
tint  j  her  eyebrows  were  clearly  defined  dark  brown  lines, 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  19 

wliile  Emmclinc's  were  much  lighter,  and.  on  comparison, 
it  -was  the  same  with  their  hair,  though  at  first  sight  it 
seemed  of  the  same  colour.  If  Emmeline  was  a  little 
flushed,  or  Kate  looked  pale,  the  difference  between  them 
could  hardly  be  perceived. 

'And  Constance,  we  only  want  her,'  said  Lady  Wil- 
loughby,  '  I  am  afraid  she  is  not  in  London.' 

'  0  mamma,  have  you  not  heard  ? '  said  Kate. 

'  No — what  ?  We  have  not  heard  since  she  was  just 
going  to  spend  a  day  or  two  at  Lord  Liddesdale's  place. 
Where  is  she  ?  ' 

^  In  Italy,'  mamma,  said  Emmeline,  sadly ;  '  Herbert 
caught  a  very  bad  cold  coming  home  from  Rowthorpe 
one  foggy  evening ;  he  has  been  very  ill,  and  obliged  to 

come  to  London  for  advice.     Dr. ordered  him  abroad 

for  the  winter,  so 'they  went  on  the  12th  of  December,  and 
Lord  Somerville  with  them.' 

•  Hum  !  ha  !  Decline.  I  suppose.  That  is  a  bad  hear- 
ing,' said  Sir  Francis.     '  Not  in  the  family,  I  hope.' 

Kate  looked  down,  and  answered  sorrowfully,  '  Lady 
Anne  died  of  decline  two  years  ago,  but  I  do  assure  you, 
mamma,'  and  she  raised  her  eyes  and  spoke  confidently, 
'  the  doctors  all  said  that  in  Herbert's  case  he  only  wanted 
complete  rest  to  his  voice  and  a  warmer  climate  to  restore 
him  completely,  and  he  is  much  better  already.' 

'  Poor  dear  Constance  ! '  said  Lady  Willoughby.  '  It 
is  a  great  shock  to  hear  this  when  we  so  little  thought  it. 
When  did  you  see  her  last,  poor  dear  ?  ' 

'  A  little  before  they  sailed,'  said  Emmeline,  '  when 
they  were  at  Lord  Liddesdale's  house  in  London.  We 
spent  one  whole  day  with  them,  and  Herbert  did  not 
seem  very  ill ;  indeed  he  was  much  better  then ;  he  was 
in  the  drawing-room,  and  I  did  not  see  but  that  he  was 
just  the  same  as  usual,  except  that  his  cough  seemed  to 
hurt  him;  it  made  his  colour  come  into  his  face,  and 
sometimes  was  very  bad  indeed,  but  he  was  as  cheerful  as 
ever.  And  afterwards  Constance  came  to  Miss  Danby's 
to  wish  us  good-bye.  She  is  quite  well,  and  likes  her 
journey  very  much ;  indeed,  now  Herbert  is  better,  the 
tour  will  be  quite  a  party  of  pleasure,  only  she  will  be  so 
sorry  to  miss  you.' 


20  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

'  Poor  dear  ! '  said  Lady  Willougbby,  and  Kate  went  on 
the  more  eagerly.  '  But  mamma,  the  accounts  have  been 
excellent  of  late.  Yesterday  Lady  Frances  came  to  tell 
us  she  had  heard  from  Lord  Somerville  from  Terni,  with 
such  a  very  good  report  of  Herbert.' 

'  Is  Lady  Frances  in  town  then  ? '  said  Sir  Francis. 

*  Yes,  she  is  very  kind  to  us.'  said  Kate,  warmly. 

'  Did  she  ask  you  for  the  holidays  again  ?  '  said  Lady 
Willougbby. 

'  0  no,'  said  Kate.  '  Constance  told  us  she  wished  she 
could,  only  she  is  so  devoted  to  Lord  Liddesdale's  comfort, 
and  he  is  so  anxious  about  Herbert,  and  altogether  it 
would  not  do.' 

'And  we  did  very  well,'  said  Emmeline,  'she  had  us 
twice  to  spend  the  evening  wlien  Lord  Liddesdale  was 
dining  out,  and  she  took  us  out  driving  with  her  several 
times,  and  once  to  a  concert,  and  three  days  we  spent  with 
Miss  Enderby,  and  ' — 

'  Well,'  said  Sir  Francis,  '  you  will  have  long  holidays 
now.  Good-bye  to  Mrs.  Teach'em,  mamma  will  never  part 
with  you  now  she  has  once  got  you.' 

'No,  indeed,'  said  Lady  Willougbby,  softly  pressing 
their  hands. 

'  Dear  mamma,'  said  Emmeline. 

Their  eyes  had  been  roaming  all  this  time,  and  at  last 
Kate  broke  forth—'  The  children  ! ' 

'  The  children  ?  0  yes,  to  be  sure — here  they  are,' 
said  Sir  Francis  opening  a  door,  crossing  another  room  and 
calling  out,  '  come  here,  come  along,  you  young  rogues, 
come  and  see  your  sisters.' 

A  great  noise  came  first,  and  Lady  Willougbby  shrank 
as  if  from  an  expected  infliction,  as  in  ran  a  fine  tall  fair 
boy  of  seven,  followed  by  a  girl  a  little  younger,  while  a 
Bound  of  crying  remained  behind. 

'  Where  is  brother  Frank  ? '  said  the  boy,  standing 
staring,  but  there  was  no  time  for  answering,  for  in  came 
Sir  Francis,  carrying  a  little  girl  of  two,  whom  he  put 
into  Kate's  arms,  saying,  '  There,  look  at  your  sister, 
Emmeline.'  The  child,  however,  no  sooner  found  her- 
self in  the  possession  of  a  stranger,  than  she  began  to 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  2i 

scream,  upon  which  her  father,  mucli  to  Kate's  relief, 
took  her  up  again,  and  began  to  walk  up  and  down  the 
room  with  her,  aoothing  her  in  Hindostanee,  at  present 
Miss  Cecilia's  only  language.  Then  appeared  a  dark 
dignified  lady  in  white  muslin  and  golden  ear-rings, 
holding  by  the  hand  the  four  years'  old  Edwin,  who  no 
sooner  beheld  the  strangers  than  he  wrenched  away  his 
hand,  and  ran  back  again  roaring  louder  than  ever. 
Sir  Francis,  on  an  imploring  look  from  his  wife,  gave 
Cecilia  to  the  Ayah,  and  sent  her  away,  leaving  only 
Alfred  and  Janet,  who  had  the  credit  of  being  able,  like 
Dandie  Dinmont's  two  eldest,  to  behave  themselves 
distinctly.  That  is  to  say,  Alfred  allowed  himself  to  be 
kissed  by  his  sisters,  and  then  finding  that  brother 
Frank  was  not  forthcoming,  broke  from  them  and  ran  to 
gaze  out  at  the  window,  while  Janet,  a  white-faced,  not 
very  happy  looking  child,  stood  staring  with  the  full  ex- 
tent of  her  black  eyes,  and  hiding  her  face  if  they  tried  to 
touch  or  speak  to  her. 

In  the  lull  that  succeeded,  Sir  Francis  announced  his 
intention  of  immediately  setting  out  again  on  his  own 
affairs.  Lady  Willoughby  plaintively  entreated  him  to 
come  back  in  time  to  go  out  with  her ;  he  promised  to 
return  to  luncheon  and  departed.  Emmeline  sat  on  the 
sofa  by  her  mother,  listening  to  her  history  of  her  jour- 
ney, and  its  troubles  and  fatigues,  while  Kate  joined 
Alfred  at  the  window,  and  there,  by  telling  him  the 
names  of  the  carriages,  and  pointing  out  all  that  could 
amuse  him,  made  him  sociable,  and  presently  Janet 
hearing  him  laugh,  ran  up  to  Kate,  pulling  her  frock, 
and  said,  '  me  too.'  For  some  time  Kate  kept  them 
both  happy  and  contented;  but  at  last  Alfred  grew 
riotous,  made  Janet  cry,  and  caused  such  a  turmoil, 
that  Lady  Willoughby  in  despair  rang  the  bell  and 
sent  for  the  Ayah,  who  carried  Janet  off,  but  Alfred  being 
beyond  the  strength  of  any  of  the  parties  present,  was 
allowed  to  remain,  and  Kate  kept  him  quiet  by  drawing 
him  a  picture  of  a  steamer,  which  seemed  the  most  prom- 
inent object  in  his  imagination.  Lady  Willoughby  sighed, 
and  wished  the  children  were  under  a  governess,  they  were 


22  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

SO  troublesome  and  boisterous,  and  Sir  Francis  spoilt  then) 
so  much.  Emmolinc  said  encouragingly,  that  they  would 
soon  get  into  better  order,  and  Miss  Townsend  was  a  very 
kind,  good  little  person  ;  but  after  this  specimen  her  desire 
of  volunteering  the  part  of  governess  herself  had  much 
abated.  She  did,  however,  say,  that  she  and  Kate  hoped 
to  have  the  children  with  them  a  great  deal,  and  to  help 
to  teach  them. 

'  0,  my  dears,'  said  Lady  Willoughby,  looking  at 
Alfred,  who  was  eyeing  them  all  the  time,  and  lowering 
her  voice,  '  you  do  not  know  what  you  would  undertake  ! 
Such  wear  and  tear  as  trying  to  teach  must  be !  0  no,  I 
would  not  have  you  undertake  it  on  any  account.' 

'  Margaret  Forester  teaches  her  little  brothers  and 
sisters,  and  likes  it  very  much,'  said  Emmeline. 

'  0,  some  people  are  obliged ;  yes,  some  people  are,  I 
know,  but  there  is  no  occasion  for  it  here,  my  dear.  And, 
besides,  you  have  no  time  :  when  we  are  settled,  and  a 
little  at  home,  you  must  be  introduced,  you  know  ;  you  are 
quite  seventeen,  are  you  not  1 ' 

*  I  was  seventeen  last  week,'  said  Emmeline,  '  but, 
mamma,  I  had  much  rather  not  come  out  yet,  not  without 
Kate,  at  least.' 

'  0  Emmie,  that  is  not  fair,'  said  Kate. 

'  Indeed  it  is,'  said  Emmeline,  '  you  know  we  have 
always  been  exactly  on  a  level  in  everything,  and  I  am  too 
shy  ever  to  enjoy  myself  where  you  are  not.  0,  I  should 
not  like  it  at  all  without  her !  ' 

'  I  am  sure  it  is  a  pleasure  to  see  my  dear  girls  so 
affectionate,'  said  Lady  Willoughby,  smoothing  Emmeline's 
hair.  '  We  will  see  about  it,  my  dears,  it  shall  be  as  you 
please.' 

Kate  was  going  to  offer  some  further  remonstrance, 
when  they  were  interrupted  by  the  return  of  Sir  Francis ; 
they  had  their  luncheon  and  went  out  for  a  drive.  The 
sisters  found  themselves  of  some  use,  for  their  slight 
knowledge  of  London  went  a  great  way  with  people, 
one  of  whom  had  not  been  in  England  for  twenty  years, 
and  the  other  for  thirty-five.  Lady  Willoughby  seemed 
^|uite  helpless  in  any  choice  of  the  most  trifiing  matters 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS,  23 

of  dress  for  the  children,  and  Sir  Francis,  as  active  and 
bustling  as  she  was  the  contrary,  asked  numberless 
questions,  and  was  a  quarter  of  an  hour  at  least  in 
selecting  each  separate  article.  Lady  Willoughby  was 
more  alive  than  in  any  other  T)art  of  her  expedition  when 
they  went  to  a  dressmaker's,  the  only  one  whose  direction 
Emmeline  and  Kate  knew,  because  she  had  made  Con- 
stance's wedding  dresses.  They  did  not  much  like,  how- 
ever, to  hear  Sir  Francis  tell  the  lady  of  the  shop  that  that 
lady  was  the  mother  of  Lady  Herbert  Somerville,  whom 
perhaps  she  recollected,  and  then  to  see  their  mother  look 
pleased  at  what  they  thought  vulgar  praise  of  Constance's 
beauty  and  elegance.  Perhaps  Kate  at  least  was  a  little 
mollified  when  Sir  Francis  made  them  each  a  present  of  a 
new  bonnet  and  a  mantle,  though  they  would  have  liked  to 
have  had  more  exercise  of  their  own  taste  allowed  them  in 
the  choice. 

It  was  late  when  they  came  back  to  the  hotel,  and 
they  had  only  time  to  dress  in  haste  without  exchanging 
many  words.  On  re-entering  the  sitting-room  they  found 
Sir  Francis  playing  with  the  three  eldest  children,  and 
allowing  them  to  make  noises  to  their  hearts'  content,  till 
on  hearing  the  sweeping  of  a  silk  gown,  he  suddenly 
hushed  them  with,  '  Here  comes  mamma ! '  There  was 
very  little  more  time  before  dinner  was  announced,  when 
the  children  were  kissed  and  dismissed  to  bed.  Sir  Francis 
carrying  Edwin  on  his  back. 

Dinner  seemed  a  very  important  business  to  Sii 
Francis,  and  occupied  his  conversation  entirely  till 
dessert  was  brought  in,  when  turning  to  Kate,  whom 
he  had  at  last  learned  to  call  by  her  proper  name,  he 
asked  her  if  she  had  seen  his  son  Frank. 

'  0  yes,'  said  Kate,  '  he  spent  two  days  with  us  at 
Copseley,  before  we  went  back  to  school.' 

*  Ah !  yes,  I  knew  Lord  and  Lady  Herbert  were  so 
kind  as  to  have  him — very  good-natured.' 

*  He  was  there  a  week,'  said  Emmeline,  '  but  we  were 
obliged  to  go  back  to  Miss  Danby's,  after  he  had  been 
there  only  two  days.  He  was  to  have  come  for  part  of 
the  Christmas  holidays — he  would  not  for  the  whole  of 
them 


24  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

•  Well,  and  what  did  you  think  of  him,  ch  ?  You  know 
I  have  not  seen  him  since  he  was  little  Edwin's  age. 
Come,  tell  me  how  you  like  him  ?  ' 

'  O,  very  much,'  said  Emmeline  and  Kate,  both  a  little 
disconcerted  by  the  recollection  that  they  had  thought 
him  very  much  in  their  way  on  the  last  day  of  their  visit, 
rather  awkward,  and  far  from  clever. 

'  He  is  very  good-natured,'  added  Emmeline,  '  and 
Constance  wrote  us  word  that  he  and  Herbert  got  on 
famously  together.' 

'  I  think  Edwin  is  very  like  him,  only  fairer,'  said 
Kate,  glad  to  find  something  further  to  say. 

'  Well,  I  hope  we  shall  have  him  here  to-morrow  or 
next  day,'  said  Sir  Francis.  '  I  have  written  to  him  and 
to  his  master  to  ask  for  him.' 

'  Yes,  I  wish  much  to  see  him,  dear  fellow,'  said  Lady 
Willoughby,  in  her  modulated  voice. 

'  I  shall  get  Kate  to  introduce  me,'  said  Sir  Francis, 
shaking  his  head  at  her.  '  Here's  a  brown  old  shrivelled 
object  of  a  father  for  you,  Master  Frank.' 

'  Do  not  you  think  we  learn  better  manners  at  Miss 
Danby's,'  said  Kate,  who  had  found  out  by  this  time  how 
Sir  Francis  liked  to  be  answered. 

'  I  am  sure,'  said  Lady  Willoughby,  '  Miss  Danby's 
establishment  was  most  highly  recommended.' 

'  And  I  am  sure,'  added  Sir  Francis,  gallantly,  '  she 
needs  no  better  recommendation  than  her  pupils.  As  I 
was  telling  them,  I  don't  wonder  at  their  sister's  good 
fortune,' 

'  Poor  Constance,'  said  Lady  Willoughby.  *  Which  of 
you  is  most  like  her,  my  dears  1 ' 

'  She  is  something  between  both,'  said  Kate,  '  she  is 
not  so  tall  as  I  am,  and  she  has  lighter  hair  than  either  of 
us,  and  the  same  sort  of  pale  colour  as  Emmeline.' 

'  Her  eyes  and  eyebrows  are  more  like  Kate's,'  said 
Emmeline,  '  but  she  and  I  were  often  taken  for  each  other. 
Herbert  was  quite  amused  to  see  such  a  likeness.' 

*  She  must  have  looked  lovely  at  her  wedding,  poor 
dear  girl,'  said  Lady  Willoughby. 

'  Yes,  that  she  did,  mamma,'  cried  both  girls  eagerly, 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  25 

and  then  simultaneously  stopped,  each  ready  to  leave  the 
field  to  each  other. 

'  Come,  now  let  us  have  the  whole  history,'  said  Lady 
Willoughby,  '  since  I  cannot  see  my  poor  Constan3e,  let 
me  hear  all  I  can  of  her.' 

*  0,  if  you  could  but  have  seen  her,'  said  Emmeline. 

*  She  had  that  beautiful  India  muslin  that  you  sent 
her,  and  a  little  lace  bonnet,  and  a  beautiful  Honiton 
veil  that  Mrs.  Forester  gave  her,  and  you  never  saw 
anything  look  so  beautiful  or  so  liko  a  white  lily.  The 
old  clerk  said  they  were  the  handsomest  couple  that  he 
had  ever  seen  married,  and  he  believed  as  they  were  the 
best.' 

'  Then  Lord  Herbert  is  handsome  !  Indeed,  I  think 
you  said  so  in  your  letters,'  said  Lady  Willoughby. 

'  When  you  see  Lady  Frances,  mamma,  you  will  know 
just  what  he  is  like  ;  he  is  rather  tall,  and  very  slender, 
and  his  face — oh  !  I  don't  know  how  to  describe  it,  it  is 
so  winning,'  said  Kate, 

'He  has  beautiful  brown  eyes,  that  seem  to  look 
through  and  through  everything,  and  yet  to  be  always 
bright  with  their  own  thoughts,'  said  Emmeline. 

'  Hey  day ! '  said  Sir  Francis,  '  the  young  ladies  are 
quite  poetical'  Whereat  Emmeline  coloured  excessively 
and  held  her  tongue,  while  Lady  Willoughby  asked  on, 
'  And  does  he  look  delicate  ?  ' 

*  He  has  a  good  deal  of  bright  pink  colour.'  said  Kate, 
and  those  beautiful  transparent  looking  teeth  that  Mrs. 

Forester  says  are  very  apt  to  belong  to  people  with 
delicate  health.  He  never  was  very  strong,  but  they  say 
that  a  winter  abroad  is  likely  to  do  him  a  great  deal  of 
good.' 

'  It  was  from  Mr.  Forester's  that  they  were  married  1 
think,'  said  Sir  Francis. 

'  Yes,'  said  Kate,  *  the  Foresters  would  have  it  so, 
because  the  whole  affair  had  taken  place  there.' 

'  And  they  made  quite  a  small  party  of  it  V  '  said  her 
mother. 

'  Yes,  quite  small,  it  was  so  much  more  pleasant  and 
jomfortable,'  said  Kate,  '  there  were   Duly  ourselves,  and 


»D  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

uncle  Berners,  and  Lord  Liddesdale,  and  his  son  and 
daughter,  and  Mr.  Grey,  the  other  Curate.  There  was 
very  little  of  a  breakfast,  for  Constance  and  Herbert 
■would  not  hear  of  their  making  a  great  fuss.  I  am  sure 
it  did  excellently.  Mrs.  Forester  said  she  had  never 
known  a  wedding-day  go  off  so  well ;  she  said  they  were 
generally  such  long  dismal  days,  but  I  am  sure  we  only 
wondered  when  we  found  how  late  it  was,  and  Lord 
Liddesdale's  carriage  came  to  take  them  to  the  train — 
Herbert  and  Constance  I  mean.' 

*  Lord  Liddesdale's  carriage,'  exclaimed  Lady  Wil- 
loughby.     '  Did  they  not  go  in  a  carriage  of  their  own  ?  ' 

'  No,  they  only  had  a  little  pony  phaeton  till  they 
were  obliged  to  have  a  travelling  carriage  for  their  journey 
abroad.' 

'  What  could  poor  Constance  do  ?  '  said  Lady  Wil- 
loughby. 

'  O,  she  walks — she  is  a  capital  walker.  She  and 
Herbert  walk  all  over  the  parish  together,  and  go  to  all 
the  cottages.' 

'  And  when  they  go  out  to  dinner  ?    said  Sir  Francis. 

'  They  don't,'  said  Kate,  'because  church  time  is  at 
seven  in  the  evening.' 

'  Church  time —  of  course,  as  a  Clergyman,  he  would 
not  dine  out  on  Sunday,' 

'  This  is  every  day,'  said  Emmeline,  '  we  used  to  have 
such  delicious  evening  walks  to  and  from  Church  through 
the  pretty  wooded  common  after  the  heat  of  the  day  was 
over.' 

'  0,  ho  ! '  said  Sir  Francis,  *  daily  service,  evening  air, 
no  wonder  poor  Lord  Herbert's  lungs  are  out  of  order. 
That  is  the  way  young  Clergymen  kill  themselves  now-a- 
days.' 

'  Poor  Constance  ! '  again  said  Lady  Willoughby. 
Emmeline  and  Kate  having  nothing  to  say  to  this 
became  silent,  and  Lady  \Yilloughby  returned  to  the 
matter  of  the  carriage,  which  seemed  to  distress  her 
more  than  anything  else.  '  People  are  so  strange,'  she 
said,  '  but  it  must  look  very  odd  to  see  a  person  of  Lady 
Herbert   Somervillo's   rank   without   her   own    carriage. 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  27 

And  everything  about  his  fortune  was  so  satisfactory 
too.' 

'  Yes,  Lord  Liddesdale  behaved  in  the  handsomest 
manner,  and  Lord  Herbert  too,  about  settlements,'  said 
Sir  Francis. 

'  I  am  sure  I  do  not  understand  these  things,'  said 
Lady  Willoughby,  '  but  surely  you  told  me,  Sir  Francis, 
that  his  fortune  was  very  good.' 

'  0  yes,'  said  Emmeliue,  '  I  know  they  are  well  off, 
for  Margaret  Forester  told  me  they  were  so  glad  the 
Curate  of  Copseley  should  be  a  rich  man,  because  the 
place  is  so  poor.' 

'  It  wants  schools,  and  all  sorts  of  things,'  said  Kate. 

'  Poor  Constance  !  '  repeated  Lady  Willoughby. 

*  And  how  does  Lord  Liddesdale  like  all  these  notions? ' 
said  Sir  Francis. 

'  Very  much,'  said  Kate ;  *  he  gave  a  great  deal  to 
Copseley  Church,  and  he  is  a  great  friend  of  Mr.  For- 
ester's. Indeed  it  is  all  managed  just  like  his  own  parish 
at  Rowthorpe.  0  mamma,  you  cannot  think  how  we  en- 
joyed our  visit  there.' 

'  Ah  !  I  should  like  to  hear  about  it,'  said  Lady  Wil- 
loughby. 

Nothing  loath,  Kate  began.  *  You  know  we  were  to 
go  home  with  them  after  the  wedding,  and  you  can't 
think  how  we  dreaded  it — especially  poor  Emmie ;  we 
thought  it  would  all  be  so  awful  and  so  grand ;  and  Miss 
Dani)y  gave  us  such  a  lecture  as  to  how  we  were  to 
behave  that  she  made  it  ten  times  worse.  We  did  not 
care  so  much  about  Lady  Frances,  for  we  had  seen  her 
once  or  twice  when  Constance  was  in  London,  and  we  got 
on  famously  with  her  at  Margaret  Forester's  great  school- 
feast  on  the  wedding-day.  But  as  to  Lord  Liddesdale 
and  Lord  Somerville,  how  we  dreaded  their  speaking  to 
us,  and  how  poor  Emmie  coloured  with  fright  if  they 
did  but  look  at  her  !  And  what  do  you  think  the  end 
of  it  was?  Why,  that  I  am  sure  I  felt  a  great  deal 
less  on  my  good  behaviour  than  ever  I  did  with  Miss 
Danby.' 

*  Does  Lord  Somerville  live  with  his  father  ?  '  said 
Lady  Willoughby. 


28  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

*  Yes,  he  was  at  home  all  the  time  we  were  there, 
said  Emmeline,  '  and  he  was  very  good-natured.  It  is 
such  a  comfort  that  he  is  gone  with  Herbert  and  Con- 
stance, for  he  promised  us  so  kindly  that  he  would  take 
care  of  her.' 

At  this  period  of  the  conversation  Lady  Willoughby 
rose,  and  the  girls  followed  her  to  the  drawing-room, 
where  she  lay  down  on  the  sofa,  and  with  one  of  them  at 
her  feet,  and  the  other  on  a  footstool  close  to  her,  she 
said,  '  Go  on,  my  dears,  I  like  to  hear  you  talk  Where 
were  you.     0,  at  Rowthorpe.' 

'  0  how  happy  we  were  there,'  said  Emmeline. 

'  And  is  Lord  Somerville  as  handsome  as  his  poor 
brother  ?  '  said  Lady  Willoughby. 

'  He  is  a  fine  looking  man,'  said  Emmeline,  '  but  he 
can't  be  as  handsome  as  Herbert — he  is  so  old.' 

'  How  old,  my  dear  ? '  said  Lady  Willoughby,  sur- 
prised. 

'  Older  than  Lady  Frances,'  said  Emmeline,  *  and  he 
has  been  in  Parliament  ever  so  long.  He  cannot  be 
much  under  thirty-five.' 

'  Ah  !  Emmie,'  said  Kate,  '  what  a  tremendous  scrape 
you  did  get  into  with  thinking  people  so  very  old.  I 
must  tell  how  it  was,  if  you  don't  mind  it,' 

'  0,  not  a  bit,'  said  Emmeline,  '  mamma  is  not  Miss 
Danby.' 

'  No,  indeed,  thank  heaven,  my  dear,  but  I  hope  you 
were  not  rude — impossible' — 

'  Quite  the  contrary,  mamma,'  said  Kate,  '  it  was  all 
her  great  politeness.  Lady  Frances  found  we  knew  very 
little  of  Shakespeare,  so  she  began  to  read  some  of  it 
with  us,  and  Emmie  was  reading  "  As  you  like  it," 
aloud,  when  the  two  gentlemen  came  in  from  the  dining- 
room.  She  was  going  to  leave  off,  but  Lord  Liddesdale 
begged  her  to  go  on,  and  they  sat  down  and  listened. 
Presently,  Lord  Liddesdale  said,  "  Why,  have  I  forgotten 
the  order  of  the  play,  or  what  has  become  of  the  Seven 
Ages  of  Man?  "  Poor  Emmie,  her  face  lighted  up  like 
a  red  hot  coal,  and  she  hung  down  her  head  as  if  she 
would  never  look  up  again. 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  29 

'  I  am  sure  I  never  thought  he  would  have  missed  it,' 
said  Emmeline.     '  0,  it  was  dreadful ! ' 

'  Lady  Frances  said  it  must  be  there,  and  came  to 
look  over  to  see  if  anything  was  the  matter  with  the 
book,  and  there  it  was  sure  enough.  So  poor  Emmie 
was  obliged  to  confess  why  she  had  missed  it,  and  she 
whispered  it  into  Lady  Frances'  ear,  "  she  thought  Lord 
Liddesdale  would  not  like  it ! "  "Well,  Lady  Frances 
tried  to  stop  herself  from  laughing,  but  she  could  not, 
and,  at  last,  she  was  obliged  to  tell,  for  they  looked 
and  wondered.' 

'  I  cannot  think  how  she  could  do  it  so  little  disagree- 
ably,' said  Emmeline,  '  considering  that  it  was  rather 
absurd  of  me.  "Papa,"  she  said,  "you  ought  to  be 
very  much  obliged  to  her,  it  was  out  of  her  great 
consideration  for  your  feelings !  "  "  For  my  old  age 
and  infirmity,"  said  Lord  Liddesdale,  and  then  he  did 
laugh,  I  thought  he  would  never  have  stopped ;  but  the 
great  beauty  of  it  was,  that  they  could  make  so  much  fun 
of  it  without  annoying  us  in  the  least.  Lord  Liddes- 
dale wanted  to  know  whether  I  thought  him  the  lean  and 
slippered  pantaloon,  or  if  he  had  arrived  at  second  child- 
ishness and  mere  oblivion.' 

'  Yes,'  and  then  Emmie  roused  herself  up  to  answer. 
^  Certainly  not  mere  oblivion,  when  he  knew  so  exactly 
where  the  Seven  Ages  ought  to  be,'  said  Kate,  '  and  then 
he  bowed  in  the  most  magnificent  way,  and  said  that  he 
had  never  heard  a  more  prettily  turned  compliment,  and 
Emmie  blushed  up  to  the  ears  again  !  ' 

'  It  was  lucky  it  was  so  very  absurd  ! '  said  Emme- 
line, smiling,  '  so  that  one  could  laugh  heartily  at  it,  for 
to  see  that  tall,  splendid  old  man,  such  a  picture  of  a 
real  nobleman,  and  to  hear  him  talk  of  the  lean  and  slip- 
pered pantaloon — I  could  not  help  laughing  at  myself 
for  having  been  so  silly  as  to  think  it  possible  the  passage 
could  hurt  his  feelings.  How  we  did  laugh !  we  were 
quite  tired  when  we  went  up  to  bed  at  night,  and  in  the 
middle  of  the  night  Kate  waked  me  with  laughing  again 
in  her  sleep.  0  there  was  no  end  to  the  merriment  we 
had  there.' 


30  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

'  Our  delightful  long  scrambling  walks,'  said  Kate. 

*  And  better  than  all,  the  going  to  the  ruin,'  said 
Emmeline.     '  0,  that  was  of  all  things  delightful.' 

*  What,  a  pic-nic  party  1  '   asked  the  mother. 

'Not  exactly;  but  some  little  way  from  Rowthorpe 
there  is  a  beautiful  bit  of  an  old  castle  which  was  pulled 
down  in  the  wars  of  the  Ptoses.  It  belonged  to  Earl 
Warwick,  the  King  Maker,  and  Edward  IV.  once  slept 
there.  So  Lady  Frances  made  a  scheme  to  go  and  see 
it ;  it  was  to  be  one  day  when  Lord  Liddesdale  was 
obliged  to  go  to  a  county  meeting,  because  he  said  no 
slippered  pantaloon  ever  dined  on  damp  grass,  and  that 
Emmeline  would  think  the  owls  and  bats  so  affecting  to 
his  spirits,  that  her  sympathy  would  not  allow  her  to 
enjoy  herself.  Besides,  how  did  we  know  that  he  had  not 
been  at  Edward  lY.'s  levee  there  7  So  the  party  was 
only  Lady  Frances,  and  Lord  Somerville,  and  ourselves ; 
we  went  down  the  river  in  a  boat.  Lord  Somerville 
and  one  of  the  gardeners  rowed  us.' 

'  How  very  nice  that  was,'  said  Emmeline,  '  do  you 
remember  how  the  birds  sang,  and  the  weeping  willows 
that  hung  so  gracefully  into  the  dark  pools,  and  the  king- 
fisher that  darted  out  of  the  bank  ?  ' 

'  And  how  Lord  Somerville  laughed  at  us  for  being  sen- 
timental about  the  limekiln,  which  he  managed  to  make 
us  think  was  the  castle  itself? ' 

*  And  Lady  Frances  sitting  by,  smiling  in  her  quiet 
way  at  our  grand  fit  of  enthusiasm,'  said  Emmeline. 
'  0,  but  I  can  never  forget  what  they  ended  by  saying, 
about  being  enthusiastic  for  the  wrong  thing  instead  of 
the  right.' 

'  That  strong  enthusiasm  is  a  noble  feeling  when  it  is 
right,  only  it  is  spoilt  and  worn  out  by  being  thrown  away 
— on  limekilns  instead  of  castles,  as  Lord  Somerville 
finished,'  said  Kate. 

'  And  when  we  came  there,'  said  Emmeline,  '  oh ! 
what  a  pretty  picture  it  was — the  bit  of  arch  with  the 
feathery  birch  growing  out  of  its  side,  and  the  little 
country  children  playing  with  their  dog  on  the  slope. 
We  tried  to  sketch  it,  but  Lady  Frances  was  the  only 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  31 

Dnc  wlio  could  draw  the  children  at  all,  and  tiresome 
jiittle  things,  they  all  left  off  play,  and  stood  staring  at 
us.  Lord  Somerville  pretended  to  call  oufc  to  them, 
"  sixpence  a  piece  if  you'll  be  natural,"  and  his  sister 
told  him  he  was  encouraging  the  worst  sort  of  affec- 
tation.' 

'  O,  and  the  fun  of  all,'  said  Kate,  ^  the  riding, 
Emmie,  though  I  doubt  if  it  was  much  fun  to  you  at  the 
time.  We  ladies  were  to  ride  home  on  a  donkey  and  two 
ponies,  but  neither  of  us  had  ever  been  on  the  back  of 
any  thing  before,  and  I  do  not  know  where  Emmie  would 
be  now  if  Lord  Somerville  had  not  led  her  donkey  almost 
all  the  way.     0,  how  merry  we  were.' 

*  I  was  much  happier  when  they  let  me  walk,'  said 
Emmeline.  '  Do  you  remember  the  round  red  August 
moon,  rising  like  a  globe  of  fire  in  the  east,  and  the 
darkness  sinking  on  the  harvest  field  full  of  sheaves  ? 
And  that  cottage  with  the  deep  eaves,  and  the  porch  and 
windows  glistening  white  in  the  moonlight,  and  the  long 
shadows  of  the  trees  across  the  smooth  turf  in  the  glades 
of  the  park  7  ' 

'  And  the  luxury  of  feeling  tired  and  fresh  both  at 
once,  as  we  drank  our  tea  round  the  open  window  in  the 
drawing-room,'  said  Kate.  '  O,  that  was  a  day  to  be  re- 
membered !  ' 

'  Then,  there  was  the  school-feast,'  said  Emmeline. 

'And  the  little  children's  strawberry-feast,' said  Kate. 

*  And  the  mornings  when  we  worked,  and  drew,  and 
read,'  said  Emmeline,  •  and  the  sitting  among  the  gera- 
niums on  the  hot  afternoons.' 

'  And  the  grand  expedition  altogether,  after  Herbert 
and  Constance  came,  when  Herbert  said  he  must  go  and 
show  his  wife  to  his  old  nurse,  and  we  took  the  pony  and 
donkey,  and  you  rode  so  much  better — I  think  that  was 
the  merriest  of  all  our  walks.  The  old  woman  was  so 
pleased  ;  she  told  Herbert  he  had  brought  home  as  bonnie 
a  bride  as  had  ever  been  seen  in  those  parts,  and  she 
would  pray  night  and  day  that  she  might  be  as  good  as 
she  was  bonnie.  Constance  blushed,  and  thanked  her 
with  all  her  heart,  and  the  old  nurse  said,  "  Aye  and  you 


32  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

are,  I  can  see.  You  are  not  of  tlie  kind  I  feared,  that 
would  only  be  sorted  up  with  finding  yourself  my  Lady. 
You  know  what  Lord  Herbert  is  for  his  own  sake,  and  I 
can  tell  you  " — and  then  she  looked  at  Herbert  over  her 
spectacles  and  laughed,  "  you  might  search  far  enough  and 
never  find  a  better  bargain  than  you  have  of  him,  and  I 
should  know  him  as  well  as  most  folks." 

'  Oh  !  and  the  best  of  all  was  her  lecturing  Lord  So- 
merville  about  bringing  home  a  wife  too.' 

As  Kate  was  finishing  her  sentence,  Sir  Francis  came 
in  from  the  dining-room,  and  behind  him  came  the  waiter 
with  the  candles.  The  light  revealed  what  the  sisters 
had  little  suspected,  that  their  mother  was  very  comfort- 
ably asleep.  However,  she  awoke  at  the  sound  of  the 
opening  of  the  door,  and  told  her  husband  that  the  girls 
had  been  entertaining  her  so  pleasantly  with  an  account 
of  their  pic-nic  party  from  Lord  Liddesdale's. 

She  was  not  very  wide-awake  all  the  rest  of  the  even- 
ing, but  to  make  up  for  it  Sir  Francis  talked  much,  and 
told  them  a  great  deal  about  the  children,  chiefly  about 
Alfred  and  Cecilia. 

And  now  the  day  was  over,  and  the  two  sisters  shut 
into  their  own  room,  Emmeline  threw  her  arms  round 
Kate  and  exclaimed,  '  Well  and  it  is  come  !  0  Kate, 
can  you  fully  believe  it  ?  That  we  have  had  our  mother's 
kiss  and  good  night  at  last,  after  all  our  weary  wishes. 
If  Constance  did  but  know  how  happy  we  are  ! ' 

'  Mamma  is  so  exactly  what  we  always  fancied,'  said 
Kate,  '  only  we  should  not  have  talked  so  long  when  she 
was  tired.' 

'  So  like  her  letters,  and  so  like  Constance,'  said  Em- 
meline. '  0,  what  joy  it  is  !  I  could  sit  and  look  at  her 
for  hours,  and  feel  that  I  really  have  a  mother.  I  wonder 
if  people  are  as  happy  who  have  never  known  what  it  is  to 
be  without.' 

'  It  does  seem  very  odd,'  said  Kate,  '  that  we,  poor 
isolated  things  as  we  are,  should  suddenly  have  jumped 
into  a  ready-made  family.  Mamma  and  papa,  and  chil- 
dren and  all.' 

'  "What  a  noble  fellow  Alfred  is,'  said  Emmeline,  and 
Cecilia  is  quite  a  beauty.     And  sweet  little  Janet,  how 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  33 

fond  wc  shall  be  of  her,  only  I  am  afraid  Miss  Townscnd 
will  get  into  our  way.' 

'  It  is  rather  a  bore,'  said  Kate,  'wc  shall  have  to  be 
so  civil  to  her.  I  did  not  want  her  at  all ;  we  could  have 
taught  the  children  so  nicely,  and  they  are  to  have  a 
nurse  when  this  Ayah  is  gone.' 

'  0  Kate,  did  not  her  dark  face  and  her  mixture  of 
Hindostanee  and  English  bring  back  strange  memories  ? 
Our  Bungalow  and  the  palm  trees,  and  the  tree  with 
the  pink  flowers,  and  the  bottle-nested  sparrows — I  al- 
most thought  I  could  hear  the  sound  of  the  gong  and  see 
the  broad  sunshiny  river.  And  papa,  our  own  dear  father 
I  mean,  I  saw  him  in  my  memory  dearer  than  ever  be- 
fore ;  while  I  was  looking  at  mamma,  his  bright  hair  and 
pale  face,  and  his  dress  all  white,  as  he  used  to  sit  under 
the  verandah,  and  hold  out  his  arms  to  us.  Ah !  you 
cannot  remember,  you  were  so  little.  How  I  wish  Con- 
stance could  have  seen  that  Ayah  !  ' 

'  We  must  write  to  Constance  the  first  thing  to-mor- 
row,' said  Kate,  '  and  how  she  will  wish  herself  at  home. 
But  do  you  really  think,  Emmie,  it  could  be  the  daily 
service  that  did  Herbert  harm  ?  ' 

*  I  don't  know,'  said  Emmeline,  '  it  never  seemed  to 
tire  him,  and  you  know  Mr.  Forester  and  Mr.  Grey 
often  came  to  help  him.'  '■  Oh  no,  it  was  that  foggy 
evening  drive  from  Rowthorpe ;  you  remember  that  Mr. 
Forester  was  alarmed  at  the  cold  he  caught  then  from 
the  first,  and  hardly  allowed  him  to  do  anything  after  it 
began ! ' 

'  Perhaps  mamma  will  be  more  hopeful  when  she  has 
seen  Lady  Francis,'  said  Kate.  '  How  good-natured  Sir 
Francis  is,  I  will  never  be  afraid  of  any  one  again  before 
hand.' 

'  And  how  fond  of  his  children,'  said  Emmeline.  '  He 
is  not  at  all  what  we  expected,  and  yet  I  am  very  glad  of 
it;  it  is  a  great  relief  to  have  no  one  to  be  afraid  of.' 

*  Yes,  this  time  that  we  have  looked  forward  to  so 
long,  is  as  delightful  as  possible  ! '  said  Kate 

'  All  I  am  afraid  of  now,'  said  Emmeline,  '  is  Frank ; 
to  have  a  great,  tall,  clumsy  school  boy  like  that,  all  the 
holidays,  will  be  very  tiresome  ! ' 


34  THE    CASTLE    BUILDEES. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Now,  tliouglit  he,  I  see  the  danger  that  Mistrust  and  Timorous  were  driven 
Dack  by.    The  Lions  were  chained,  but  he  saw  not  the  chains. 

PiLGKIM'S  PlOGKESS. 

The  girls  were  very  busy  the  next  morning  writing  let- 
ters, one  to  Lady  Frances  and  the  other  to  Constance, 
when  they  were  interrupted  by  the  announcement  of  '  Mr. 
Frank  Willoughby ! '  and  in  walked  a  youth  of  seventeen, 
rather  short  for  that  age,  with  hair  of  unnecessary  length 
and  shagginess,  and  a  round  rosy  face,  so  like  little  Ed- 
win's, that  it  would  have  suited  better  at  the  top  of  his 
white  frock  and  broad  sash,  than  surmounting  a  tail  coat. 
He  looked  rather  disappointed,  and  a  little  doubtful 
whether  he  had  come  to  the  right  place,  when  he  only  saw 
two  young  ladies ;  but  Kate,  rising,  and  holding  out  her 
hand,  said  cordially,  '  How  d'ye  do,  Frank  ?  ' 

'  0,'  said  he,  as  if  suddenly  recollecting  her,  '  how 
d'ye  do?'  shook  hands  with  her  and  Emmeline,  and  abruptly 
asked,  '  Where's  my  father  ?  ' 

'  Gone  into  the  City,'  said  Kate ;  '  he  will  be  back 
again  by  half-past  one.' 

'  I  will  go  and  call  mamma,'  said  Emmeline. 

She  found  Lady  Willoughby  sitting  by  the  fire  in  her 
own  room,  wrapped  up  in  a  great  shawl,  and  with  writing 
materials  on  the  table  before  her. 

'  Here  is  Frank,  mamma,'  said  she. 

Lady  Willoughby's  face  did  not  express  much  alacrity 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  35 

or  i«fatisf action.     '  Dear  mc  !     Is  lie,  indeed  1     I  had  no 
idea  he  could  come  so  soon.' 

^  "Railroads  bring  people  very  fast,'  said  Emmeline. 
And  I  was  in  the  midst  of  a  letter  to  your  aunt  in 
India,  and  I  wanted  to  have  my  dresses  taken  out,  for  I 
am  sure  I  have  nothing  fit  to  be  seen.  What  can  have 
brought  ^im  so  early  ?  What  shall  we  do  with  him,  my 
dear?  And  Sir  Francis  will  not  be  at  home  until  one 
o'clock.  I  wish  he  would  not  go  away.  And  what  is  this 
boy  like,  dear  Emmie  ?  ' 

'  A  nke  good-natured  fellow,'  said  Emmeline,  '  honest 
and  downright,  not  very  polished,  perhaps,  but  Herbert 
and  Constance  liked  him  very  much.' 

'  A  great  rough  school  boy  !  Oh  !  dear  me  ! '  sighed 
Lady  Willoughby,  '  I  wish  his  father  was  at  home.' 

*  He  is  very  good-natured,'  said  Emmeline,  almost  as 
if  she  was  persuading  her  to  confront  some  strange  dog. 
'  Won't  you  come  down,  mamma?  ' 

'  I  suppose  I  must,  presently.  Think  what  we  can  do 
with  him,  my  dear,  until  Sir  Francis  comes  home.' 

'Perhaps  he  has  not  breakfasted,'  said  Emmeline, 
'  he  must  have  come  away  very  early.' 

'  Ah  !  yes,  order  some  breakfast,  and  say  I  will  come 
presently  ;  but  you  know  I  am  not  at  all  strong,  my  dear, 
and  it  always  hurts  me  to  be  hurried ;  but  tell  him  I  will 
come  presently,  and  take  good  care  of  him  ;  I  will  be  there 
before  Sir  Francis  comes  in.' 

'  Yery  well,  mamma,'  said  Emmeline,  thinking  this 
scarcely  a  requital  of  the  kindness  Sir  Francis  had  shown 
them. 

'  What  a  comfort  it  is  to  have  a  daughter,'  said  Lady 
Willoughby,  kissing  her  with  fondness  that  drove  away 
the  uncomfortable  sensation. 

Conversation  had  not  gone  on  fast  in  her  absence  ; 
Kate  wanted  to  be  civil  and  sisterly,  but  did  not  know 
exactly  how  to  begin.  '  Did  you  set  off  early  ?  '  said  she, 
after  a  moment  or  two  of  uneasy  silence. 

'  At  half-past  six,'  was  the  answer.  '  I  have  only  got 
leave  out  for  the  day.' 

'  Sir  Francis  will  be  very  sorry  not  to  be  at  home,' 


36  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

said  Kate.  And  then  there  was  a  pause,  while  Frank 
looked  anxiously  at  the  door.  He  rose  eagerly  when 
tlie  lock  turned,  but  the  blank  expression  returned  when 
Emmeline  entered  alone. 

"  Mamma  will  come  down  in  a  few  minutes,'  said  she ; 
*  but  she  has  been  rather  tired  with  all  her  journeyings, 
and  cannot  well  be  hurried.     Have  you  breakfasted  ? ' 

'  No.' 

Glad  to  be  doing  something,  though  shy  of  giving 
orders,  Emmeline  rang  the  bell,  and  hastened  to  clear 
the  table.  Breakfast  was  sent  for,  and  then  came  another 
silence.  The  girls  guessed  how  Frank  must  be  wishing 
to  hear  about  his  ready-made  family,  and  yet  it  was  quite 
impossible  to  begin  about  the  heads. 

'  Should  you  like  to  see  the  children  ?  '  said  Emmeline. 

'  O  yes.' 

'  Then  I  will  call  Alfred  and  Janet,  the  two  little  ones 
are  so  shy,  that  I  don't  think  we  could  get  them  into  the 
room  without  their  papa;  but  Alfred  will  be  delighted, 
he  could  hardly  speak  to  ns,  he  was  so  disappointed  that 
we  were  not  brother  Frank.' 

Emmeline  went  to  fetch  them,  and  so  great  was  the 
curiosity  and  eagerness  excited  by  the  news  of  brother 
Frank's  arrival,  that  even  Edwin  ventured  down  under 
the  protection  of  his  new  sister. 

Frank  kissed  them,  but  still  seemed  rather  shy  of 
them,  and  let  Alfred  stand  by  him  for  some  moments 
without  speaking,  while  Edwin  sat  on  Emmeline's  lap 
and  stared,  and  Janet  took  refuge  with  Kate.  However, 
when  the  girls  began  to  play  with  Alfred,  Frank  joined 
them,  and  had  become  tolerable  friends  with  them  before 
it  was  time  to  send  Edwin  away  for  his  siesta. 

Then  Frank  asked  abruptly,  '  How  is  Lord  Herbert  ?  ' 
listened  with  much  interest  to  the  answer ;  and  looking 
at  the  writing  case  on  the  table,  said,  '  I  suppose  you  are 
writing  to  them.' 

'  Yes.' 

'  Then  I  wish  you  would  say,  I  thank  them  for  their 
letter.  Site  wrote  me  a  very  nice  letter  about  the  not 
being  able  to  have  me  at  Christmas,  and  he  put  in  a  note 
at  the  end.' 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS,  37 

*  Here  is  room  if  you  like  to  write  a  note  yourself.' 

*  No,  thank  you,'  said  Frank.  '  I  have  got  nothing  to 
say,  only  thanks,  and  I  am  glad  he  is  better.' 

'  Very  well,  I  will  certainly  tell  them,'  said  Kate.  '  It 
would  have  been  very  nice  to  be  there  all  together  last 
winter.' 

'  Yes.     What  became  of  you  ?  ' 

'  We  staid  at  school  most  of  the  time.' 

Frank  fairly  started  with  horror.  *  Why,  that  is 
awful !  What  could  you  do  ?  Be  like  the  Domum  boy, 
I  should  think. ' 

'  That  we  could  hardly  be,'  said  Kate,  laughing,  '  con- 
sidering that  we  have  scarcely  acquired  a  Dulce  Domum.' 

'  Well,  I  never  heard  of  such  a  thing.  Stay  at  school 
all  the  holidays  !  ' 

'  You  see  we  have  survived  it,'  said  Emmeline,  *  so 
you  need  not  bestow  so  very  much  pity  on  us.  Where 
did  you  go  ?  ' 

'  Home  to  be  sure ! '  said  Frank,  surprised  at  the 
question. 

'  To  Mr  Willoughby's?  '  said  Kate. 

'  Yes,  to  Humble thwayte.  That  has  been  my  home 
ever  since  I  came  from  India.' 

'  How  long  ago  was  that  2 '  asked  Kate. 

'  Thirteen  years ; '  Frank  was  growing  quite  confi- 
dential. '  I  don't  remember  my  father  the  least  in  the 
world,'  and  he  looked  inquiringly  at  Kate.  She  would 
have  told  him  how  Sir  Francis  had  told  her  to  introduce 
him,  but  she  thought  it  would  not  do  before  the  children. 

'  Is  Lady  Willoughby  ill  1 '  asked  Frank,  presently. 

*  Mamma  always  stays  in  her  room  in  the  morning,  and 
goes  to  sleep  just  like  the  little  ones,'  said  Alfred.  And 
then  he  went  on,  •  I  love  papa  best,  because  mamma  won't 
let  us  make  a  noise.' 

'  As  if  anybody  could  like  such  a  noise  as  you  can 
make,'  said  Frank ;  but  Alfred,  finding  no  one  else  willing 
to  give  his  brother  the  desired  information,  took  it  upon 
himself,  whispering,  and  looking  slyly  at  his  sisters,  as  if 
he  suspected  he  was  doing  something  wrong.  '  I'll  tell 
you  what,  mamma  is  much  the  prettiest ;  papa  is  almost 


38  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

as  Ugly  as  the  old  man  in  the  steamer,  but  papa  is  mucb 
the  most  good-natured.' 

*  I'll  tell  you  what,'  said  Frank,  overpowering  these 
awkward  communications  with  his  strong  voice,  '  you 
are  an  undutiful  young  dog,  master  Alfred,  and  if  you 
say  another  word,  I  will — I  will — I  will  put  you  up  the 
chimney.' 

A  great  struggling,  laughing,  and  screaming  sac- 
ceeded,  much  to  the  relief  of  the  girls.  It  was  past  ono 
o'clock,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  uproar  they  did  not  hear 
the  approach  of  Lady  Willoughby,  who  opened  the  door 
while  the  noise  was  at  its  full  height.  For  a  moment  all 
stood  silent  and  surprised,  then,  Lady  Willoughby  ad- 
vancing with  all  her  grace  and  prepossessing  manner,  said, 
'  My  dear  Frank,  what  pleasure  this  is  !  '  then,  kissing 
him,  she  looked  at  him,  saying,  '  You  see,  my  dear  boy, 
I  knew  I  need  not  make  a  stranger  of  you,  and  so  I  did 
not  hurry  myself,  though  I  was  anxious  to  see  you,  but  I 
had  so  much  on  my  hands,  and  I  am  so  much  an  invalid. 
Besides,  I  know  young  people  always  get  on  better  by 
themselves,  and  you  have  made  acquaintance  with  Alfred 
and  Janet  already.' 

'  Yes,  and  Edwin  has  been  here,  mamma,'  said  Kate, 
triumphantly. 

'  Well,  Alfred,'  said  his  mother,  '  you  are  a  happy 
boy  at  last,  now  you  have  got  your  brother  Frank.' 

Nothing  could  be  more  gentle  and  caressing  than  Lady 
Willoughby's  manner,  yet  Frank  was  stiff  and  awkward, 
and  in  a  great  cloud  of  bashfulness,  giving  short  embar- 
rassed answers  to  her  soft  questions  about  his  journey, 
and  the  time  he  had  set  off,  and  heartily  did  Emmelino 
wish  that  her  mother  had  come  sooner,  or  that  Alfred  had 
held  his  tongue.  Yet,  when  she  looked  at  Frank's 
chubby  childish  face,  she  could  not  think  that  he  had  any 
acuteness  of  feeling  or  perception,  and  was  willing  to  at- 
tribute his  embarrassment  to  dulness  and  stolidity,  as 
Lady  Willoughby  went  on  perseveringly  asking  questions, 
and  being  affectionate  without  effect ;  and  Kate  escaped 
from  the  awkward  group  under  plea  of  finishing  her  letter 
to  her  sister. 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  39 

Many  a  time  had  Frank  started  up  hopefully  before 
Sir  Francis  actually  entered  the  room. 

'  See,'  said  his  wife,  rising,  and  taking  Frank's  hand, 
as  if  to  lead  him  forward,  '  see  who  has  been  waiting  for 
you  all  this  time.' 

'  Ha !  Eh  ?  Who  ?  Why,  'tis  Frank  himself,  I  believe  ! 
How  d'ye  do,  my  dear  boy  ?  Well,  I  am  glad  to  see  you, 
Frank ;  I  should  have  known  you  anywhere  !  How  long 
have  you  been  here  ?  ' 

*  About  two  hours,  sir,'  said  Frank. 

'  Two  hours ;  well,  that  is  unlucky,  you  must  have 
come  just  as  I  went  out.  But  never  mind,  you  have  been 
making  acquaintance  with  all  the  others  here.' 

'  Yes,  he  is  on  excellent  terms  with  Alfred  already,' 
said  Lady  Willoughby.  *  You  little  thought  what  was  in 
store  for  you.' 

'  Not  I,  or  I  should  have  been  at  home  long  ago. 
Why,  Frank,  you  are  the  very  picture  of  what  you  were 
when  I  saw  you  last ;  I  should  have  known  you  among  a 
hundred  in  the  street,  but  I  suppose  you  hardly  remem- 
bered me  ? ' 

*  Not  in  the  least,  sir,'  said  Frank,  in  an  open  way  that 
made  the  words  sound  far  more  cordial  than  his  replies  to 
Lady  Willoughby. 

Sir  Francis  laughed,  shook  hands  with  him  again,  and 
then  asked,  '  Well,  and  how  is  your  uncle  ?  ' 

'  0,  very  well,  thank  you,  sir,'  said  Frank. 

'  Grown  a  thorough  country  parson,  I  suppose  ;  but 
that  he  always  was.  And  how  does  he  wear  ?  Pretty 
well,  I  suppose  ;  he  has  got  an  easy  life  of  it  there.' 

'  He  has  a  great  deal  to  do,'  said  Frank  ;  '  but  he  is 
very  well,  and  very  active.' 

'  I  wonder  whether  Dumblethwayte  looks  as  it  did 
six-and-thirty  years  ago — yes,  six-and-thirty  years  ago, 
when  I  was  a  young  shaver  with  a  round  face  just  like 
yours,  Frank,  and  went  there  to  wish  my  brother  good- 
bye, just  before  I  went  out  to  India.  Pretty  banish*liient 
I  thought  it  then,  and  how  I  envied  George,  set  down 
there  in  his  pretty  parsonage,  with  nothing  to  do  but  to 
enjoy  himself.' 


40  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

'  I  should  not  think  it  had  altered  much,'  said  Frank 

'  Not  quite  as  much  as  your  uncle  and  I,  no  doubt 
I  wonder  if  George  and  I  should  know  each  other  again  * 
I  dare  say  he  is  the  youngest  looking  of  the  two  now.' 

'  Perhaps  he  is,  sir.' 

'  Ah,  well ! '  said  Sir  Francis,  laughing,  '  one  meets 
with  it  everywhere  ;  there  was  Kate  yesterday,  now,  could 
not  recover  from  her  surprise  at  meeting  such  a  sun-dried 
old  object  in  a  wig.  Well,  and  so  you  have  got  your  aunt 
Willoughby  for  a  neighbour  ?  ' 

'  Yes,  they  live  about  two  miles  off,  just  on  the  other 
side  of  the  hill.' 

'  I  must  make  acquaintance  with  her,  I  suppose.  I 
think  of  going  to  see  l)umblethwayte  as  soon  as  I  can  get 
things  a  little  settled.  There  is  only  one  daughter  un- 
married now,  is  there  ?  ' 

'  Only  Juliet.' 

All  through  luncheon  time  such  inquiries  as  these 
went  on,  and  afterwards  Sir  Francis  and  his  son  went  out 
walking  together,  and  the  girls,  with  their  mother,  had  a 
drive  in  the  park.  The  arrangement  did  not  please  Lady 
Willoughby,  and  as  they  drove  from  the  door  she  did  not 
conceal  her  annoyance  from  the  girls,  saying,  that  Sir 
Francis  had  promised  to  go  somewhere  with  her,  but  she 
supposed  everything  was  to  give  way  to  this  boy.  How- 
ever, the  park  revived  her  spirits  by  the  novelty  of  the 
scene,  and  she  entertained  her  daughters  with  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  course  by  the  river,  the  evening  airing  of  the 
gay  world  of  Calcutta,  and  of  her  own  grand  equipage 
there.  As  they  were  returning,  Kate,  who  was  sitting 
forward,  exclaimed,  as  she  eagerly  acknowledged  a  bow, 
and  her  face  lighted  up  wdth  a  delighted  smile  of  recog- 
nition :  '  Lord  Liddesdale  and  Lady  Frances  !  How 
surprised  she  looked !  I  wonder  if  she  guesses.  0 
mamma,  look  at  her  pretty  horse  Fairy,  the  bright  bay, 
I  had  one  little  ride  on  it.' 

This  encounter  put  Lady  Willoughby  into  great  good 
humour,  she  talked  with  more  animation  than  she  had 
yet  shown,  and,  on  coming  in,  told  Sir  Francis  she  had 
enjoyed   herself    very   much.      The   dinner   was   earlier 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  41 

than  usual,  because  Frank's  time  was  short,  and  as  soon 
as  it  was  over,  he  wished  them  good-bye  and  departed, 
looking  very  happy.  Sir  Francis  seemed  quite  as  happy, 
and  talked  in  praise  of  Frank  half  the  evening,  in  which 
his  wife  joined  so  heartily  as  to  surprise  her  daughters, 
who  had  not  fancied  her  very  favourably  impressed  with 
the  young  gentleman.  However,  they  thought  Sir  Fran- 
cis was  easily  pleased,  when  he  showed  them,  with  great 
satisfaction,  a  letter  from  the  head  master  of  Frank's 
school,  speaking  strongly  of  his  application  and  good 
conduct,  but  saying  that  his  abilities  were  not  of  the 
highest  order. 

*  I  am  heartily  glad  of  it,'  said  his  father.  '  Your  first- 
rate  men  never  get  on  in  the  world,  thev  always  have 
some  absurd  quirk  or  crotchet  of  their  own,  that  nobody 
else  can  understand.' 

'  They  never  can  be  contented,'  said  Lady  Wil- 
loughby. 

'  They  never  know  what  is  to  their  own  advantage  or 
other  people's,'  continued  Sir  Francis ;  '  they  won't  do 
this,  and  they  can't  bear  that,  and  they  have  some  notion 
or  some  pursuit  of  their  own,  and  do  everything  except 
their  own  business.  I  declare  I  should  have  been  quite 
vexed  if  I  had  had  a  letter  to  say  that  Frank  was  up  to 
the  ears  in  Latin  and  Grreek,  and  carrying  all  before  him. 
Now,  I  dare  say,'  turning  suddenly  on  Emmeline,  '  your 
brother-in-law.  Lord  Herbert,  is  one  of  your  first-rate, 
high-flying  men.' 

'  One  of  mine,  at  least,'  said  Emmeline,  drily. 

'  He  distinguished  himself  at  school  and  college,'  said 
Kate,  '  and  would  have  done  much  more  but  for  his  health.' 

'  Yes,  of  course,  and  with  his  connections  he  might 
have  been  anything.  And  what  does  he  do  with  all 
these  abilities?  Why,  he  settles  down  into  a  country 
curacy,  which  is  a  dead  loss  to  him,  and  wears  out  his 
lungs  with  daily  service,  or  some  rubbish  or  other.  No, 
no,  give  me  good  practical  sense,  such  as  knows  how  to 
take  care  of  itself,  and  that  is  what  you  will  find  in 
Frank.' 

Emmeline  looked  at  Kate,  and  felt  contemptuous,  but 


42  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

their  attention  was  required  to  a  story  of  a  clever  young 
man,  who  had  made  a  great  sensation  in  India  by  his 
eccentric  conduct. 

As  soon  as  the  two  sisters  were  alone  in  their  room, 
Emmeline  burst  into  indignation  :  *  First-rate  talents  to 
be  disdained,  as  if  nothing  was  precious  but  money! 
Better  be  a  Californian  gold-digger,  then,  than  Milton  or 
Goethe.' 

•  As  if  mind  and  its  powers  were  not  a  thousand  times 
more  precious  than  all  that  gold  can  purchase !  '  cried 
Kate. 

'  Get  on  in  the  world,  indeed  !  '  proceeded  Emmeline. 
'  That  is  all  our  mind  was  given  us  for,  then.  Money 
hunting  and  consequence  hunting,  and  the  more  you  have 
the  more  you  must  strive  for.  Slavery,  indeed  !  What  do 
such  people  know  of  the  purposes  of  being  ?  ' 

What  did  Emmeline  herself  know  of  them? 

The  next  day  was  Sunday,  and  Lady  Willoughby 
not  feeling  equal  to  going  to  the  morning  service,  Em- 
meline and  Kate  went  with  Sir  Francis,  At  Church 
they  were,  for  the  first  time,  reminded  of  the  Confir- 
mation, which  had  slipped  entirely  out  of  their  heads 
with  the  other  interests  and  occupations  of  their 
school  life,  and  they  went  home,  each  intending  to 
speak  to  the  other  about  it.  After  luncheon  sundry 
old  Indian  acquaintance  of  Sir  Francis  and  Lady  Wil- 
loughby came  to  call,  and  the  two  sisters  were  obliged 
to  sit  up  demure  and  formal,  without  the  power  of 
escaping  to  the  afternoon  service,  and  the  evening 
service  was  at  the  very  hour  of  dinner.  They  felt 
that  this  was  not  a  right  state  of  things,  and  as  they 
went  to  bed  they  speculated  on  the  possibility  of  finding 
their  way  to  Church  by  themselves  another  time. 

'  And,  Emmie,  the  Confirmation  is  to-morrow.' 

'  Yes,'  said  Emmeline,  doubtfully,  '■  but  I  don't  see 
how  we  can  go.  Mamma  would  never  go  out  so  early, 
and  our  tickets  are  in  our  desks  at  Miss  Danby's.' 

'  Yes,  I  suppose  it  could  hardly  be  managed,'  said 
Kate. 

*  To  be  sure,'  said  Emmeline,  *  we  could  get  Sir  Fran- 


THE    CASTLE   BUILDERS.  43 

CIS  to  set  us  down  at  Miss  Danby's,  and  wc  could  go  with 
the  others  there.  But  yet  I  don't  know;  it  is  not  tho 
sort  of  thing  to  ask  him  about.' 

'  If  we  could  see  Lady  Frances,  and  go  with  her.' 

<  If — yes,  if — I  wonder  if  she  will  be  really  there, 
looking  out  for  us.' 

'  She  said  she  would  go,  but,  perhaps,  she  will  change 
her  mind  now  she  knows  where  we  are,'  said  Kate. 

*  I  don't  know  what  to  do,'  said  Emmeline.  '  I  am 
very  much  inclined  to  let  it  alone  until  a  quieter  time. 
All  that  I  learnt  seems  gone  entirely  out  of  my  head, 
and  all  our  books  and  papers  are  at  Miss  Danby's.' 

'  I  am  sure  I  am  too  sleepy  to  think  it  all  up  again 
now,'  said  Kate. 

'  It  is  so  great  and  awful  a  vow  that  I  am  sure  it  ought 
not  to  be  taken  lightly  and  without  due  preparation,'  said 
Emmeline. 

'  We  never  seemed  half  good  enough  for  it  before,' 
said  Kate. 

'  And  all  the  little  preparation  we  had  seems  driven 
quite  out  of  our  heads,'  said  Emmeline.  '  No,  it  would 
be  awkward,  and  a  hurry,  and  a  bustle,  and  a  fuss,  to  have 
it  now,  and  that,  such  a  sacred  thing  should  never  be,  so 
we  will  let  it  wait  for  a  quieter  time.' 

'  Then  we  shall  not  have  that  other  great  responsibility,' 
said  Kate,  sighing,  as  if  her  sister's  decision  relieved  her 
from  a  weight. 

'  But  we  will  take  care  we  do  not  miss  Church  next 
Sunday,'  said  Emmeline,  as  if  to  atone  for  the  rest  by 
this  one  good  resolution. 

'  And  we  will  get  our  books  from  Miss  Danby's,  and 
read  our  Christian  Year  every  Sunday,  as  we  promised 
Constance,'  said  Kate.  '  I  like  to  do  that,  because  it 
puts  us  in  mind  of  those  shady  Sunday  evenings  at 
Copseley.' 

'  And  I  see  beautiful  poetry  in  those  hymns,  here  and 
there,'  said  Emmeline  ;  '  I  wish  I  could  enter  into  them 
as  Constance  does.' 

They  put  the  thought  of  Confirmation  out  of  their 
heads   and   went   to  sleep.      On  Tuesday,  on  returning 


44  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

from  their  afternoon  drive,  tbey  found  the  cards  of  Lady 
Frances  and  her  father,  accompanied  by  a  little  note  from 
her  to  Emmeline,  congratulating  them  on  their  mother's 
arrival,  and  ending  thus — *  "Was  it  the  fault  of  my  eyes 
that  I  did  not  see  you  at  St.  George's  ?  I  watched  in' 
vain,  for  one  white  dress  and  white  cap  was  so  like  another 
that  I  could  not  make  you  out.  However  I  was  very 
glad  to  be  there,  it  brought  so  many  pleasant  thoughts, 
and  I  am  sure  you  must  be  rejoiced  at  being  thus  able 
to  begin  this  fresh  start  in  life ;  indeed,  it  seems  as  if 
the  Confirmation  had  been  timed  on  purpose  for  you.' 

'  Lady  Frances  does  not  know,'  said  Emmeline,  as  she 
folded  up  the  note  ;  not,  however,  without  some  feeling 
of  self-reproach,  though  not  exactly  directed  the  right 
way.  She  was  sorry  that  she  had  not  been  able  to  wind 
up  her  feelings  to  the  point  which  she  considered  fit  for 
receiving  the  sacred  ordinance.  She  did  not  perceive  how 
the  grace  therein  received  might  have  strengthened  her  on 
her  entrance  into  the  new  sphere  of  trial  and  duty  in 
which  she  had  been  placed.  Emmeline  and  Kate  did 
indeed  know  that  life  is  a  time  of  trial,  but  they  did  not 
so  feel  it;  they  were  drifting  quietly  on  the  stream,  with- 
out much  thought  of  the  course,  and  though  they  acknow- 
ledged the  necessity  of  attending  to  Church  ordinances, 
these  were  to  them  duties  in  themselves  which  stood  alone, 
unconnected  with  practical  life,  and  without  influence  over 
it.  So,  as  Confirmation  was  to  come  but  once  in  their 
lives,  why  not  at  one  time  as  well  as  at  another  ?  and  the 
thought  of  the  Holy  Communion  made  them  still  more 
inclined  to  defer  it,  since  they  would  be  afraid  to  stay 
away,  and  yet  dreaded  to  go  without  due  preparation. 
They  did  not  feel  with  their  hearts,  though  in  some  degree 
they  knew  with  their  understandings  that  prayers,  Church 
services,  Confirmation,  Communions,  were  all  steps  to 
lead  them  on  in  the  track  of  daily  life,  the  waymarks  set 
about  their  path;  nay,  further,  the  wings  which  might  bear 
onwards  their  steps. 

They  had  not  much  time  for  thought  at  present,  for 
there  was  much  to  occupy  them.  They  had  to  go  and 
finish  packing  up  their  goods  at  Miss  Danby's,  to  take 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERB.  45 

leave  of  their  school-fellows,  and  receive  the  adieus  ot 
the  ci'cat  lady  herself. 

They  were  not  without  feelino;s  of  gratitude  and  kind- 
liness towards  Miss  Danby.  They  had  not  been  un- 
happy at  school ;  indeed,  from  their  homelessncss,  they 
had  more  affection  for  it  than  is  usual;  and  although  their 
complete  reliance  in,  and  devotedness  to,  each  other  had 
prevented  them  from  forming  close  friendships  with  other 
girls,  they  were  people  universally  to  like  and  to  be  liked. 
Their  standing  and  importance  in  the  school  had  caused 
them  to  be  missed,  and  on  their  reappearance  they  were 
greeted  with  such  eagerness  and  affection,  as  gave  them 
very  pleasant  impressions  to  carry  away.  It  was  odd  to 
find  how  all  was  going  on  just  as  usual,  and  how  short  the 
week  had  seemed  to  their  companions,  which  to  them  had 
been  so  very  long. 

*  Though  we  have  not  been  without  our  event,'  said 
Susan  Allen ;  '  by  the  bye,  you  were  not  at  the  Confir- 
mation ?  ' 

*  No,'  said  Kate,  '  we  thought  it  best  to  put  it  off  to  a 
quieter  time  ?  ' 

'  What  ?  when  you  are  leaving  school  and  all,  and 
Emmeline  will  be  coming  out  too,'  said  Susan.  *  Who 
would  think  of  coming  out  without  being  Confirmed  ? ' 

'  She  is  not  coming  out,'  said  Kate ;  '  she  means  to 
wait  for  me.' 

'  AVhat  edifying  devotion ! '  cried  Miss  Allen.  '  Really, 
you  two  do  deserve  to  be  proposed  as  models  of  sisterly 
affection  as  much  as  Jane  and  Susan  Woodbine  in  my  old 
spelling-book.  And  so  you  won't  be  women  after  all, 
neither  Confirmed  nor  come  out ! ' 

'  Must  they  go  together  ?  '  said  Emmeline,  smiling. 

'  I  know  I  wish  they  did  in  my  case,'  said  Susan,  yawn- 
ing. '  You  are  lucky  girls,  you  two ;  I  wish  you  could 
give  me  a  bit  of  your  good  fortune.  I  should  not 
mind  giving  you  all  the  additional  womanliness  derived 
from  my  Confirmation,  for  the  liberty  you  have  got  at 
home.' 

Kate  shook  her  head  at  the  rattling  Susan,  Emmeline 
looked  at  Anne  Forester,  her  chief  friend  at  school,  and 


46  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

■who  had,  like  Susan,  been  recently  Confirmed.  Anne 
looked  grave,  and  as  if  she  did  not  like  this  light  way  of 
talking,  but  she  said  nothing,  it  Avas  not  her  way.  Em- 
meline  watched  her  face  and  movements,  and  wondered  if 
Confirmation  had  made  any  difi'erence  in  her ;  but  there 
was  a  certain  peevish  tone,  in  which  Anne  used  to  talk  of 
lessons  and  restraints,  which  recurred  again  during  this 
visit,  and  did  not  suit  with  the  idea  of  a  person  fresh  from 
this  solemn  rite,  and  feeling  this  solemnity  as  deeply  as 
Emmeline  knew  she  did. 

It  was  time  to  go,  and  after  many  kisses,  promises  of 
correspondence,  and  hopes  of  future  meetings,  the  Miss 
Berners  went  down  to  the  drawing-room,  to  Miss  Danby 
and  all  her  assistants.  The  knowledge  that  Miss  Danby 
had  sent  a  very  high  character  of  them  to  Lady  Wil- 
loughby,  and  the  remembrance  of  her  many  condescend- 
ing attempts  for  their  amusement  during  their  solitary 
holidays,  made  them  feel  a  sort  of  affection  for  her,  and 
perhaps  not  one  of  her  scholars  had  listened  with  a  bet- 
ter grace  to  her  parting  discourse,  or  heard  less  impa- 
tiently her  benignant  conclusion,  instructing  them  to 
remember  that  the  most  important  part  of  education  had 
yet  to  be  completed.  Now  her  last  farewell  had  been 
spoken,  and  their  school  life  was  among  the  things  that 
bad  been. 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  47 


CHAPTER  IV. 


I  will  have  a  lover, 
Eiding  on  a  steed  of  steeds ; 
He  shall  love  me  without  guile  ; 
And  to  him  I  will  discover 
The  Swan's  nest  among  the  reeds. 

E.  Baeeett  Beownino. 


The  Ayah  was  sent  back  to  India,  and  her  place  supplied 
by  a  stately  English  nurse  and  a  pretty  young  nursery- 
maid, of  both  of  whom  little  Cecilia  testified  strong 
disapproval,  spent  a  considerable  part  of  her  time  in 
squalling,  and  for  three  nights  refused  to  go  to  sleep, 
till  she  had  victimized  her  father  by  making  him  walk 
up  and  down  the  room  with  her  for  a^  hour  and  a 
half 

One  day  intervened  between  the  departure  of  the 
Ayah  and  the  arrival  of  the  nursery  governess,  Miss 
Townsend,  and  by  the  end  of  it,  Emmeline  and  Kate 
were  by  no  means  disposed  to  lament  her  coming. 
Alfred,  now  familiar,  was  riotous  and  overpowering, 
Edwin  almost  as  bad,  Janet  fretful  and  exacting — none 
of  them  had  any  principle  of  obedience,  or  any  power  of 
finding  amusement  for  themselves,  nor  had  the  sisters 
much  notion  of  managing  them  ;  they  had  no  experi- 
ence of  children,  and  no  command.  They  knew  it  was 
only  for  one  day,  and  as  three  children  could  not  be 
spoilt  in  that  space,  they  hardly  contested  anything, 
but  allowed  themselves  to  be  nearly  pulled  to  pieces, 
permitted    the    destruction    of    numerous    toys   of    the 


48    .  THE    CASTLE   BUILDERS. 

children,  and  knick-knacks  of  their  own,  and  never 
were  more  tired  than  when  at  last  they  had  wished 
Alfred  good  night,  and  sat  down  to  tea  as  peaceably  as 
they  could,  while  Cecilia's  screams  were  still  heard  in 
the  distance. 

Miss  Townsend  came  early,  by  especial  desire,  and 
was  very  kindly  greeted.  She  was  about  twenty — one  of 
the  smallest  and  most  timid  of  womankind,  and  with  a 
voice  that  it  was  not  easy  to  hear.  She  had  been  popu- 
lar among  the  younger  girls  at  Miss  Danby's,  but  always 
looked  almost  frightened  out  of  her  senses,  if  addressed 
by  the  elder  ones.  The  Miss  Berners  had  for  the  last 
twelve  months  been  at  the  head  of  the  school,  and  their 
sister's  marriage  had  given  them  a  sort  of  eclat,  which 
occasioned  the  poor  little  woman  to  look  at  them  as  still 
more  awfully  remote  than  the  rest,  though  not  perhaps 
personally  as  formidable  as  the  lively  and  satirical  Miss 
Allen. 

All  that  was  further  known  of  her  was,  that  she  was 
the  eldest  of  a  very  large  family,  and  that  her  father  was 
'  in  reduced  circumstances.'  Persons  who  are  themselves 
bashful,  suffer  the  most  from  the  shyness  of  others,  and 
Emmeline  felt  it  a  dreadful  infliction  to  have  to  introduce 
the  children  to  her,  and  take  her  to  her  room,  and  hear 
her  '  yes — yeSj  Miss  Berners — thank  you — very  kind  ' — 
so  often  repeated  under  her  breath. 

'  Poor  thing,'  said  she,  when  she  had  left  her  alone 
with  the  children,  '  I  feel  as  if  I  was  committing  a  cruelty, 
shutting  a  dove  up  with  two  or  three  young  eagles.' 

About  an  hour  after,  Kate  said  '  I  shall  go  and  see 
if  there  is  anything  left  of  her.' 

Presently  Kate  came  back  in  surprise  :  '  Well,  Em- 
mie, it  is  really  marvellous.  There  they  are,  all  three,  as 
happy  and  good  as  possible.  She  is  mending  that  un- 
happy cart  that  the  boys  broke  yesterday,  and  they  sit 
watching  as  if  their  lives  depended  on  it,  and  Alfred  ask- 
ing scientific  questions  about  wheels  and  steam  engines.' 

'  Some  people  have  the  art  of  managing  children,'  said 
Emmeline,  '  and  at  any  rate  they  are  off  our  hands.  If 
they  had  been  reasonable,  well-trained  children,  like  the 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  49 

little  Foresters,  it  would  be  a  different  thing,  but  these 
are  only  fresh  caught !  Well,  I  hope  her  power  will  last, 
and  that  she  will  work  wonders  ;  but  how  she  is  to  get  on 
when  it  comes  to  lessons  I  cannot  think.' 

'  With  that  great  Alfred,  and  sturdy  Edwin,'  said 
Kate,  '  who  look  enough  to  demolish  her  in  a  moment, 
and,  worst  of  all,  Janet  to  whine  the  life  out  of  her.' 

'  I  could  bear  with  the  rest,'  said  Emmeline,  '  but 
Janet's  whining  is  dreadful.' 

Miss  Townsend's  power  did  last ;  the  children  were 
contented  with  her,  and  if  she  had  any  difficulties  with 
them,  these  did  not  transpire.  Indeed,  but  for  the  quiet- 
ness, no  one  would  have  discovered  her  presence,  for  she 
kept  out  of  the  way  as  much  as  she  could,  spoke  as  little 
and  as  low  as  possible,  and  never  said  more  than  '  yes,  sir,' 
in  reply  to  Sir  Francis's  harangues.  Emmeline  and  Kate 
pitied  her  very  much,  and  meant  to  be  very  kind  to  her. 

The  next  great  event  was  dining  at  Lord  Liddesdale's. 

On  the  morning  of  the  day  on  which  they  were  to  go, 
Emmeline  received  a  letter  from  Lady  Herbert  Somer- 
ville,  full  of  kind  Confirmation  wishes,  and  speaking  of 
that  ordinance  as  the  great  step  in  life  from  which  all  the 
rest  may  take  its  colour.  Constance  had  reckoned  that 
her  letter  would  reach  her  sisters  on  the  day  after  their 
first  Communion,  and  her  husband  had  written  at  the  end 
a  few  words  of  affectionate  exhortation,  warning  them  not 
to  think  that  present  warm  feelings  would  last  for  ever, 
and  reminding  them,  that  steady  prayer  and  consistent 
practice,  were  more  than  ever  required  of  them  now  they 
had  taken  their  place  as  grown-up  members  of  the  Church 
— admitted  to  its  full  privileges,  and  permitted  to  approach 
and  offer  themselves  '  a  reasonable,  holy,  and  lively  sacri- 
fice.' What  holiness  did  not  such  a  privilege  require  of 
them  ! 

The  sisters  looked  at  each  other  in  doubt,  whether 
they  should  consider  themselves  to  have  missed  a  great 
blessing,  or  to  be  as  yet  free  from  a  great  peril. 

'  We  will  keep  the  letter  till  we  are  Confirmed,'  said 
Emmeline. 

'  Herbert  will  be  at  home  by  that  time  and  able  to 
3 


50  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

speak  to  us  himself,'  replied  Kate  ;  *  but  keep  tlie  letter 
by  all  means.  How  glad  I  am  to  have  such  a  good  ac- 
count to  take  this  evening  ! ' 

So  they  laid  aside  tlie  subject,  and  settled  into  an 
impression,  that  their  conduct  was  not  of  so  much  impor- 
tance, while  they  were  still  unconfirmed. 

It  was  a  very  pleasant  evening  for  the  girls,  their 
friends  were  as  kind  to  them  as  ever,  and  both  Sir  Francis 
and"  Lady  Willoughby  seemed  exceedingly  pleased.  The 
former  kept  Lady  Frances  half  dinner-time  listening  to  a 
story  which  Kate  had  already  heard  twice  before,  and 
perceived  she  might  probably  hear  many  times  again  ;  and 
Lady  Willoughby  looked  unusually  animated  whilst  Lord 
Liddesdale  was  talking  to  her  about  Constance. 

The  only  disappointment  was,  that  their  mother  took 
up  Lady  Frances's  attention  all  the  evening,  so  that 
though  they  had  quite  their  share  in  the  general  conver- 
sation, they  could  have  none  with  her  in  particular,  and 
could  not  convince  her  that  they  had  acted  for  the  best 
in  delaying  their  Confirmation. 

Could  it  have  been  because  they  had  been  seeing  as 
they  thought  Lady  Frances  would  see,  that  there  were 
no  such  expressions  of  strong  admiration  of  their  mother 
that  evening,  when  they  were  together,  as  one  or  other  of 
them  had  hitherto  been  always  uttering ;  and  that  Kate 
actually  complained  of  Sir  Francis's  continual  prosing, 
and  fidgetting  ?  The  first  rose-colored  light  in  which  they 
had  viewed  everything,  was  wearing  ofi",  and,  in  fact,  there 
were  many  difficulties  in  their  situation.  A  family  grown 
up  together  has  become  so  accustomed  to  the  different 
peculiarities  of  its  members,  as  scarcely  either  to  feel 
them  or  to  view  them  in  a  strong  light,  whereas  Emmeline 
and  Kate  came  into  the  midst  of  their  home  as  strangers, 
with  no  old  recollections,  with  eyes  that  could  scarcely 
avoid  seeing  foibles,  and  without  being,  as  it  were,  uncon- 
sciously moulded  to  fit  into  the  ins  and  outs  of  their 
family.  Strong  principles  of  duty  and  forbearance  were 
doubly  needed  in  their  case,  but  of  this  they  were  not 
aware,  and  no  friend  was  near  to  warn  them.  Their  sis- 
ter was  at  a  distance,  and  was  too  much  of  a  girl  herself 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  51 

to  have  thought  of  the  possibility  of  these  difficulties,  and, 
indeed,  she  was  happy  in  the  full  belief  that  all  was  right 
with  them,  that  they  were  under  the  best  guidance,  and 
that  there  was  now  no  reason  to  regret  her  absence. 

From  the  strength,  support,  and  aid  that  was  offered 
to  them  by  the  Spirit  of  Counsel  and  Might,  they  had,  in 
their  ignorance  and  faint-heartedness,  turned  aside,  and 
now  they  stood  in  their  weakness,  exposed  to  temptations 
of  which  they  had  not  even  thought. 

Sir  Francis's  brother,  the  uncle  with  whom  Frank  had 
hitherto  spent  his  holidays,  came  to  London  for  a  few  days, 
to  see  the  brother  whom  he  had  not  met  for  five-and-thirtj 
years.  He  was  by  several  years  the  elder,  and  it  wai 
curious  to  see  how  much  the  two  brothers  had  grown  aparl 
during  their  separation. 

Mr.  Willoughby  was  a  small  old  man,  though  not  quite 
as  brown  and  shrivelled  as  his  brother,  and  with  thin  iron 
grey  hair  instead  of  wig,  with  the  same  activity  of  manner, 
and  quickness  of  speech ;  perhaps,  a  little  inclined  t(> 
prosiness,  especially  about  his  nephew  Frank ;  but  in  ad- 
dition to  this,  Mr.  Willoughby  was  the  very  model  of  an 
old-fashioned  clergyman,  in  look,  dress,  and  manner ;  and 
there  was  a  beaming  kindliness,  almost  a  sunniness  about 
him,  that  did  every  one's  heart  good,  down  from  Lady 
Willoughby,  who  always  called  him  '  Poor,  dear,  good  old 
gentleman,'  to  little  Cecilia,  who,  instead  of  her  usual 
screams,  stretched  out  her  arms  to  go  to  him  on  his  very 
first  introduction. 

His  parish  was  far  away  in  the  north,  and  it  was  iialf 
a  lifetime  since  he  had  left  it.  One  day  he  begged  as  an 
especial  favour,  that  the  young  ladies  would  come  out  with 
him,  and  help  him  with  their  advice  in  the  presents  he 
must  take  home.  They  were  much  amused  by  the  expedi- 
tion, which  was  a  whole  long  day's  work.  First  there  was 
the  gown  for  Grace,  his  old  housekeeper,  which  was  not  to 
be  too  gay  nor  too  dingy,  neither  common-looking  nor 
smart,  neither  too  dark  nor  too  li^hc ;  and  then  came  an 
infinity  of  other  articles,  needle-books,  pin- cushions, 
bodkin  oases  of  all  varieties,  for  the  old  woman  or  little 
girls,  of  each  of  whom  he  spoke   by  name  as  a  particular 


52  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

friend,  and,  with  reference  to  her  tastes  or  wants,  held 
grave  council  as  to  what  she  would  like  best,  thanking  the 
girls  earnestly  for  any  suggestion. 

They  smiled  to  each  other  at  hi«  simplicity,  and  were 
almost  ready  to  think  him  lost  in  trifles,  till,  entering  a 
book  shop,  he  met  with  a  great  black-looking  dusty  quarto, 
on  which  he  seized  in  transport,  and  was  soon  so  deep  in 
its  contents,  as  to  quite  forget  where  he  was.  Kate  grow- 
ing weary,  peeped  over,  saw  it  was  Greek,  and  drew  back 
in  awful  respect,  and  they  waited  long,  til],  suddenly  re- 
collecting himself,  Mr.  Willoughby  closed  the  book,  and 
asked  the  price.  It  was  thirty  shillings.  '  Ah  !  I  feared 
so,'  said  he,  sighing,  looking  lovingly  at  the  title-page, 
and  laying  it  down  in  despair,  though  his  gifts  had  already 
cost  twice  the  sum,  and  he  was  proceeding  to  spend  as 
much  more.  Then  turning  to  the  sisters,  he  apologized  so 
earnestly  and  humbly  for  having  forgotten  them,  and  kept 
them  waiting,  that  they  hardly  knew  which  way  to  look. 

Almost  every  mention  of  his  parishioners  was  con- 
nected with  his  nephew.  Frank  had  done  this  for  one 
person,  had  given  that  to  another,  had  reformed  one 
naughty  boy,  had  won  the  hearts  of  the  whole  parish.  He 
was  his  right  hand,  almost  his  curate  ;  he  mended  his 
clock,  and  made  his  man  keep  the  garden  in  order — nay, 
the  walking  stick  in  his  hand  was  Frank's  cutting  and 
curing  for  him,  there  was  nothing  which  Frank  had  not 
done,  and  to  which  he  was  not  apropos ;  and  little  Edwin 
was  soon  brought  to  think  that  it  would  be  the  summit  of 
human  felicity  to  go  to  Dumblethwayte  with  brother 
Frank  and  uncle  Willoughby. 

Every  one  was  sorry  when  uncle  Willoughby  bade 
them  good-bye  on  Saturday  morning,  and  the  girls  wished 
very  much  that  Lord  Herbert  could  have  known  him,  they 
would  have  liked  each  other  so  much.  And  that  a  person 
would  be  very  mucJi  liked  by  Herbert,  was  the  highest 
praise  which  they  could  give  him. 

When  the  amusement  of  his  visit  was  over,  Emmeline 
and  Kate  began  to  grow  very  tired  of  London,  their  few 
books,  their  daily  drive,  and  their  mother's  evening  nap. 
They  sometimes  talked  of  commencing  some  regular  eni- 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  53 

ployment  for  the  morning,  when  their  time  was  apt  to  hang 
on  hand  ;  but  while  they  were  expecting  a  change,  it  did 
not  seem  worth  while,  nor  had  they  been  long  enough  re- 
leased from  school  to  cease  from  feeling  loitering  a  luxury. 
So  they  idled,  read  a  little,  worked  a  little,  played  with 
Cecilia,  the  beauty,  and  the  most  engaging  of  the  family, 
and  looked  in  now  and  then  on  the  school-room,  when  they 
could  do  so  without  too  much  alarming  Miss  Townsend. 

Alfred  and  Edwin  were  fast  becoming  civilized,  and 
the  former  could  amuse  himself  so  well  and  quietly,  that 
it  was  no  penance  to  have  him  in  the  same  room  with  his 
mamma ;  but  poor  little  Janet  was  whiter  than  ever,  and 
whenever  she  was  taken  from  under  Miss  Townsend's 
wing,  something  was  sure  to  happen,  which  caused  her  to 
cry,  and  to  be  banished.  She  was  by  no  means  a  popular 
child,  and  her  sisters  troubled  themselves  very  little 
about  her. 

They  were  obliged  to  entertain  themselves  extensively 
with  day-dreams,  and,  in  addition  to  the  cottage,  all 
chimneys,  gable-ends,  and  roses,  and  to  the  grand  plans 
of  charity  and  usefulness  in  which  Emmeline  delighted  to 
indulge,  she  had  another,  which  no  one  but  Kate  should 
have  heard  for  worlds,  about  a  perfect  hero,  'just  like 
Herbert,'  as  Kate  said  at  first. 

'  0  no,  not  like  Herbert,'  said  Emmeline,  '  at  least  not 
quite  like  him.  He  must  be  taller,  and  darker,  and  more 
stately.' 

'  And  not  a  Clergyman,'  said  Kate. 

'  Nor  a  Lord,'  said  Emmeline. 

'  But  he  must  be  of  noble  family.  0,  surely,  Emmie,' 
said  Kate,  as  eagerly  as  if  she  was  pleading  for  some 
real  person  on  whom  her  sister's  happiness  depended. 

'  Of  noble  family — yes,  but  poor,  very  poor,  and  the 
architect  of  his  own  fortunes,  with  nothing  but  his  good 
sword  to  aid  him.' 

'  And  very  haughty  and  reserved,'  said  Kate,  without 
observing  the  awkwardness  of  this  architectural  imple- 
ment. 

'  0  yes,  tall  and  stiff,  as  if  he   had  a  poker  in  his 


54  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

back,'  said  Emmeline,  not  sorry  to  laugh  at  herself,  so  as 
to  make  all  this  like  a  jest.  '  Very  dark  too,  and  stern, 
and  silent  to  all  the  world,  AYho  are  nevertheless  obliged  to 
applaud  and  admire  him  with  extorted  praise.' 

'  Should  he  not  have  committed  some  great  crime  ?  ' 
said  Kate. 

'  AV^hy,  no,  I  think  I  had  rather  he  had  not,'  was  Em- 
mcline's  answer,  '  but  he  might  be  suspected  of  it,  and  I, 
only  I,  should  know  his  secret,  his  perfect  innocence.  He 
should  bear  all  the  suspicion  and  the  cold  looks  of  the 
world,  rather  than  betray  some  unhappy  friend,  and  it 
should  be  only  in  one  that  he  should  repose  with  perfect 
confidence.' 

'  Yes,  you  would  trust  him  through  everything,'  said 
Kate.  '  You  would  understand  him  without  one  mis- 
giving ! ' 

'  That  I  would.  0,  how  beautiful  is  the  perfect  trust 
of  perfect  love  ! '  cried  Emmeline,  looking  up,  a  light  in 
her  eye  and  a  colour  on  her  cheek  ;  but  soon  there  followed 
a  sigh  at  the  thought  that  what  had  for  a  moment  filled 
up  her  heart  and  soul,  was  but  an  imagination.  For  a 
dreary  feeling,  a  sort  of  void,  a  want  of  something  had 
haunted  her  at  intervals  ever  since  she  could  remember. 
It  used  to  be  the  longing  for  her  mother,  but  here  she 
was  au  sem  desafamillc,  and  now,  that  the  first  joy  was 
over,  she  was  again  visited  by  that  sense  of  dissatisfaction, 
and  her  heart  went  seeking  out  on  all  sides,  sometimes 
trying  to  fill  itself  with  enthusiasm  for  beautiful  scenery, 
sometimes  attempting  to  repose  in  dreams  of  the  devoted 
affection  of  which  she  had  read,  or  desiring  the  occupation 
in  works  of  charity,  which,  looked  at  from  a  distance,  ap- 
peared both  attractive  and  sublime. 

Katherine  was  no  visionary  on  her  own  account, 
though  she  opened  the  gates  of  her  fancy,  and  lived  in  the 
light  of  her  sister's  day-dreams.  Emmeline  was  to  her 
even  more  than  the  visions  were  to  Emmeline,  and  except 
when  it  pleased  her  sister  to  weave  for  her  a  bower  of 
bliss,  Kate  never  supposed  herself  other  than  Emmie's 
companion,  living  alone  with  her  in  a  cottage,  or  else  her 


THE    CASTLE   BUILDERS.  55 

bridesmaid  at  her  marriage  with  her  gloomy  and  mysteri- 
ous hero.  As  to  present  tastes,  amusements,  and  employ- 
ments, nothing  could  be  better  agreed  than  the  two  sis- 
ters ;  what  one  approved  or  disapproved  was  regarded  in 
the  same  light  by  the  other,  and  they  seemed  made  to  go 
through  the  world  hand  in  hand. 


56  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 


CHAPTER  V. 


Surely,  thought  I, 
This  is  the  lace  of  Peace's  coat 

6.  Ukkbeet. 


Sir,  Francis  now,  very  mucli  to  his  wife's  disccmfiture,  set 
oif  on  an  expedition  by  himself,  to  look  for  a  house.  He 
talked  of  buying  an  estate,  but  as  he  had  all  the  world 
before  him,  he  was  not  likely  soon  to  settled- 
Lady  Willoughby  never  liked  to  be  left,  she  had  such 
a  dislike  of  having  to  speak  to  people  or  to  settle  any- 
thing by  herself,  that  she  was  very  unwilling  to  let  him 
go ;  but  she  was,  on  the  whole,  less  dependent  on  him  now 
that  she  had  her  daughters  to  take  care  of  her  ;  she  was 
growing  a  little  more  accustomed  to  England,  and  she 
could  not  find  any  absolute  reason  to  prevent  Sir  Francis 
from  taking  a  holiday. 

He  talked  of  only  staying  one  week,  but  he  was  absent 
for  three,  during  which  he  went  to  see  Frank,  made  a  visit 
to  his  brother,  and  looked  at  several  houses,  ending  by 
taking  by  the  j^ear,  what  called  itself,  Bellevue,  a  Marine 
Villa,  on  the  outskirts  of  Herringsby,  a  small  new  water- 
ing place  on  the  coast  of  Lancashire. 

He  came  home  in  high  spirits,  and  nothing  remained 
to  be  done  but  to  pack  up  their  property  and  set  ofi".  It 
seemed  so  tremendous  an  alfair  to  Lady  Willoughby, 
that  her  daughters  wondered  how  she  had  ever  been  car- 
ried away  from  India ;  but  at  last,  by  very  little  personal 
interference  on  her  part,  and  a  great  deal  on  her  husband's, 
'.t  was  effected  and  off  they  set. 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  57 

Perhaps  the  impressions  of  the  heroines  of  this  story 
"will  be  best  conveyed  by  a  letter  to  Lady  Herbert  Som- 
crville,  written  about  a  week  after  their  arrival. 


*  My  dearest  Constance, 

'Here  we  are  settled  at  last,  and  here  is  a  full  account 
for  yon,  which,  as  I  venture  to  hope,  will  convey  more  ideas 
than  Emmie's  half-asleep  letter  the  first  day.  Our  house,  which 
rejoices  in  the  elegant  name  of  Bellevue,  does  very  well  deserve 
it,  for  it  stands  high,  and  we  have  a  very  pretty,  irregular  sort 
of  lawn,  from  the  top  of  which  we  can  look  over  certain  trees, 
houses  and  hedges,  and  obtain  a  very  respectable  peep  of  blue 
sea,  most  delicious  to  look  upon;  while  in  the  other  direction 
we  can  see  the  grey,  cloudy  heads  of  some  of  the  Cumberland 
mountains,  neighbours  which  we  regard  with  awful  reverence. 
In  sight  of  mountains  and  sea,  it  makes  us  feel  quite  grand, 
and  I  expect  Emmie  will  soon  begin  to  write  verses  in  such  an 
atmosphere.  Moreover  we  have  a  species  of  modern  Gothic 
battlemented  tower,  regarded  by  Janet  with  the  utmost  dread, 
as  the  abode  of  some  giant  who  consumes  naughty  children, 
but  whence  the  adventurous  climbers  may  behold  a  beautiful 
view  of  the  coast,  with  capes  rnnning  far  out  into  the  sea,  one 
stretching  behind  the  other,  and  little  white-sailed  boats  gliding 
over  the  waves.  "We  are  at  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  distant 
from  the  beach,  which  is  a  very  satisfactory  one,  with  nice 
smooth  sand,  where  we  can  stand  and  lose  ourselves  in  wonder  at 
the  mysterious  tide,  coming  in  with  all  its  curling,  breaking  waves ; 
and  there  are  fine,  bold,  dai-k  rocks,  standing  far  out  into  the  sea, 
and  making  promontories  for  tlie  waves  to  dash  and  foam  against ; 
little  narrow  coves  and  bays,  too,  shut  in  by  rocks,  where  one  may 
get  away  quite  alone,  and  read  or  sketch.  The  children  are  down 
there  half  their  time,  dabbling  after  sea-weed  and  shells,  and  build- 
ing sand-castles,  and  they  are  all  looking  much  more  blooming 
already. 

'  As  to  the  garden,  that  is  not  much ;  there  is  a  greenhouse, 
but  very  little  in  it,  and  we  do  not  think  we  shall  have  time  to 
take  to  it  much.  There  is  plenty  of  room  in  the  house  ;  two  draw- 
ing-rooms, and  a  library,  besides  the  school-room,  and  a  great  many 
bed-rooms.  Ours  is  a  very  pleasant  one,  with  a  view  of  the  mount- 
ains, and  also  a  little  bit  of  the  old  Church  spire,  rising  up  among 
the  slated  roofs  of  the  town. 

*  The  town  is  a  mixture  of  new  and  old ;  there  is  a  High  street, 
with  alternate  shabby  little  old  houses  and  great  plate-glass  shop 
windows,  and  there  are  terraces  and  crescents,  and  marine  villas 
without  end,  all  staring  at  the  sea,  and  the  great  smooth  Marine 
Promenade,  as  they  call  it,  where  mamma  goes  and  drives  v  p  and 
down. 

3* 


58  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

'The  churches  are  Uvo,  a  new  and  an  old  one.  Our  pew  is 
in  the  old  one,  which  is  not  very  pretty,  though  a  great  deal  has 
been  done  of  late  with  very  good  cflect  to  embellish  the  cast  end. 
The  vicar  is  a  Mr.  Brent,  a  middle-aged  sort  of  man,  with  two 
curates,  whose  names  I  have  not  learnt  yet;  he  has  choristers  to 
chant  the  hymns,  which  we  like  very  much  because  of  pleas- 
ant old  Copseley  recollections,  but  our  elders  are  not  at  all 
inclined  to  like  him.  He  has  called,  but  he  does  not  go  out 
in  the  evening,  so  I  suppose  we  shall  not  see  much  of  him. 
lie  has  schools,  &c.,  but  he  is  said  never  to  allow  ladies  to 
have  anything  to  do  with  them;  very  strange,  is  it  not?  indeed, 
he  has  done  other  very  odd  things,  which  I  have  not  room  to 
tell  you. 

'There  are  some  schools  connected  with  the  other  Church, 
however,  where  they  will  be  very  glad  of  our  help;  there  are 
two  dear,  funny,  old,  good  little  sisters,  the  Miss  Shaws,  who 
have  undertaken  to  get  us  a  time  fixed  for  going  to  teach  iu 
the  week,  and  a  district  appointed  for  us  to  visit.  They  are 
connexions,  in  some  roundabout  way,  of  Frank's  mother,  and  so 
we  are  obliged  to  be  very  civil  to  them,  though  I  do  not  think 
yir  Francis  was  very  much  gratified  by  the  discovery  of  the 
relationship. 

'There  are  great  numbers  of  such  houses  as  ours  all  through 
the  neighbourhood;  quantities  of  people  have  called  and  are 
still  calling,  and  there  are  two  invitations  to  dinner  arrived  al- 
ready. Miss  Berners  was  included  in  one,  but  she  keeps  reso- 
lutely to  her  vow  of  not  coming  out  before  me,  which  is  so  very 
kind  of  her,  that  I  ought  to  be  marvellously  entertaining  during 
the  evenings  we  shall  spend  together. 

'Perhaps  mamma  is  telling  you  all  that  I  have  been  writing, 
but  never  mind,  I  dare  say  3'ou  will  not  mind  reading  it  twice 
over.  We  took  great  delight  in  your  description  of  the  Bay  of 
Naples,  and  one  pleasure  in  it  is,  that  your  enjoying  it  so  much 
was  an  excellent  proof  of  Herbert's  being  better.  We  are  longing 
for  the  account  of  Pompeii  you  have  promised  us;  it  will  make 
us  know  ten  times  more  about  it  than  all  the  grand  book  de- 
scriptions. How  I  wish  Mount  Vesuvius  would  be  so  kind  as 
to  make  an  eruption  while  you  are  so  near  him ;  but  I  am 
come  to  the  end  of  my  paper,  and  have  only  room  for  Emmie's 
message,  that  she  thanks  you  for  j^our  letter,  and  hopes  soon 
to  write. 

'  Your  most  affectionate  sister, 

'K.  E.  Berxep^.' 

Such  were  tlie  intentions  with  whicli  Emmeline  and 
Kate  began  their  residence  at  Herringsby.  They  seemed 
likely  to  have  a  good  deal  of  leisure  to  themselves,  as  Lady 
Willoughby  always  spent  the  time  between  breakfast  and 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  59 

luncheon  in  her  own  room,  writing  letters,  or  looking 
over  dresses ;  and  when  Sir  Francis  was  ready,  as  was 
usually  the  case,  to  drive  out  with  her  in  the  afternoon, 
there  was  no  room  for  either  of  the  girls,  who  were  thus 
left  quite  at  liberty  to  pursue  what  occupations  they 
pleased. 

The  example  of  their  sister  and  of  Lady  Frances  made 
them  think  school-teaching  the  most  dignified  and  delight- 
ful of  tasks,  and  into  it  therefore  they  rushed  with  all  pos- 
sible speed  and  eagerness. 

The  first  of  their  visitors  whom  they  could  consult 
were  Miss  Shaw,  and  her  sister.  Miss  Penelope,  two  good, 
bustling,  active  old  ladies,  both  talking  very  fast,  and 
seeming  very  much  in  earnest.  Mr.  Brent,  the  vicar, 
would  not  allow  any  interference  with  his  schools,  they 
said,  but  kept  them  entirely  under  the  management  of 
himself  and  his  curates :  and  though  they  did  not  like,  they 
said,  to  speak  against  any  body,  they  knew  he  had  been 
very  uncivil  to  several  excellent  persons  who  had  attempted 
visiting  and  instructing  the  poor  in  his  district.  Indeed, 
some  tracts  which  they  had  themselves  given,  had  been 
returned  to  them  by  Mr.  Brent. 

'  It  was  with  a  very  civil  note  I  must  say,'  said  Miss 
Shaw. 

'  Yes,  that  we  must  allow,  civil  to  us  personally,  but 
nothing  could  excuse  the  thing  itself.  Ah !  to  see  to 
what  lengths  party  spirit  will  go,'  said  Miss  Penelope. 

'  And  then,'  added  Miss  Shaw,  '  he  positively  turned 
good  Mr.  Denham  out  of  poor  John  Andrew's  house ;  he 
had  been  reading  to  him,  and  talking  to  him,  and  had 
brought  him  to  the  most  desirable  state  of  mind,  when 
Mr.  Brent  interfered,  caused  a  scene,  which  I  am  told,  was 
actually  violent,  in  the  poor  man's  own  house,  and  finally 
induced  the  wife  to  prevent  his  ever  gaining  access  to  him 
again.' 

'  0,  my  dears,  pray  have  nothing  to  do  with  it,'  said 
Lady  Willoughby ;  '  I  would  not  have  you  expose  your- 
selves to  anything  unpleasant,  on  any  account.' 

'  Very  strange,  indeed,'  said  Emmeline ;  '  I  wish  we 
were  not  in  his  district.' 


60  THE    CASTLE    BUILDEPwS. 

'  Then  we  really  shall  not  be  able  to  do  anything,'  said 
Kate,  with  a  deep  sigh. 

'  0,  I  assure  you,'  cried  Miss  Penelope,  '  wo  cannot 
aiford  to  lose  you,  my  dear  Miss  Katherine,  your  assist- 
ance will  be  most  valuable  to  us,  in  our  district.  How 
delighted  Mr.  Hunter  will  be  to  see  what  excellent  re- 
cruits we  have  brought  to  his  work.' 

'  Delighted  indeed,'  said  Miss  Shaw,  '  there  is  some- 
thing so  charming  in  this  energetic  spirit ! ' 

This  looks  very  like  flattery,  when  written  down,  but 
it  was  all  perfectly  genuine,  and  came  from  the  hearts  of 
the  good  old  ladies,  as  every  feature  of  their  little  aqui- 
line faces  testified ;  there  were  dimples  fixed  into  lines  of 
a  perpetual  smile  on  the  permanently  red  and  rather  yel- 
low cheeks,  and  their  heads  seemed  used  to  no  occupation 
so  much  as  nodding  in  acquiescence  with  each  other. 

*  We  will  be  just  like  them,  when  we  are  two  cosy  old 
maids,'  said  Emmeline  to  her  sister,  as  they  were  setting 
off  to  the  Miss  Shaws'  house,  by  appointment,  thence  to  be 
conducted  to  the  school.  They  felt  very  good  and 
very  useful,  as  they  walked  along,  in  the  cheerful  early 
summer  sunshine,  quite  sure  of  their  own  good  intentions, 
and  without  one  doubt  either  of  their  own  fitness  for 
teaching,  or  whether  they  were  setting  about  the  work  in 
the  right  way. 

Mr.  Brent  met,  bowed  to  them,  and  passed  on. 

*I  do  not  like  his  looks,'  said  Kate;  'I  am  sure  he 
cannot  have  a  good  temper.' 

'  I  should  be  sorry  to  think  a  man  ill-tempered  who 
preached  a  sermon  like  that  one  on  last  Sunday,'  said 
Emmeline  ;  '  but  perhaps  people  are  not  always  conscious 
of  their  own  defects.' 

*Well,'  said  Kate,  '  I  think  I  should  preach  most  of 
all  against  a  fault  I  was  conscious  of,  in  hopes  to  frighten 
it  out  of  myself.  But  did  you  call  that  such  a  very  good 
sermon,  Emmie  ?  it  did  not  seem  to  be  a  very  remarkable 
one,  and  it  put  mamma  to  sleep.' 

*  I  will  say  it  is  a  remarkable  sermon  that  keeps  her 
awake,'  said  Emmeline  drily.  Kate  laughed,  and  there 
was  a  little  silence,  after  which  Emmeline  went  on :  'I 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  &1 

have  remembered  something  out  of  each  sermon  of  Mr. 
Brent's  that  I  have  heard,  and  that  is  not  usual  with  me, 
but  I  agree  with  you,  Kate,  that  he  has  nothing  pre- 
possessing about  him.' 

*  People  ought  either  to  have  Herbert's  high-bred 
courtesy,  or  else  good  old  Mr.  Willoughby's  sunny,  open- 
hearted  benevolence,'  said  Kate ;  '  there  is  no  medium. 
And  I  am  sure,  by  all  accounts,  Mr.  Brent  has  been 
neither  courteous,  gentlemanlike,  nor  kind-hearted  in  his 
dealings.' 

'  Yet  they  all  talk  of  his  excellence,'  said  Emmeline  ; 
'  but  I  must  say  I  cannot  understand  how  it  is  possible 
for  a  man  who  pretends  to  charity,  to  be  a  stickler  for 
etiquettes  of  boundaries  of  parishes  and  districts.' 

'  His  charity  must  have  a  very  narrow  boundary  in- 
deed,' said  Kate.  '  and  most  decidedly  begin  at  home.' 

Considering  the  inexperience  of  the  sisters,  and  the 
information  they  had  received,  this  impression  was  more 
to  be  lamented  than  wondered  at ;  but  if  they  had 
talked  less  about  it,  its  effects  would  have  been  less  mis- 
chievous. 

It  was  about  three  quarters  of  a  mile  to  Miss  Shaws' 
house,  and  the  walk  led  them  partly  through  pleasant 
path-fields,  and  partly  through  the  town,  on  the  broad 
flags  in  front  of  the  new  houses,  the  fresh  sea-breeze 
blowing  upon  them,  and  the  broad  expanse  of  waves 
sparkling  far  away  in  the  distance ;  and  Emmeline,  with 
her  head  full  of  the  good  and  great  things  she  was  going 
to  do,  had  never  felt  more  joyous  or  more  fully  satisfied. 
It  was  the  very  moment  when  '  Virtue  is  its  own 
reward.' 

Soon  the  ladies  were  pouring  their  affectionate  greet- 
ings into  their  ears,  and  shaking  them  by  both  hands. 

It  would  be  in  vain  to  repeat  how  much  they  said  of 
kindness  and  pleasure,  and  the  advantage  to  the  chil- 
dren, and  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hunter's  satisfaction,  and  Mr. 
Denham's,  and  Mrs.  Anderson's.  Emmeline  and  Kate 
felt  themselves  conferring  a  great  favour,  and  were 
proportionably  happy.  They  looked  round  the  room 
and  admired.     It  was  like  a  penny  club  office ;  there  were 


62  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

business-likc-looking  large  parchment  books,  and  small 
red  leather  ones ;  there  was  a  great  lending  library 
book-case,  with  the  top  shelf  covered  with  bundles  of 
little  tracts,  in  covers  of  all  the  colours  of  the  rainbow; 
there  were  long  lists  of  names  and  numbers  upon  cards ; 
the  corner  was  filled  up  with  bundles  of  poor  people's 
clothes  and  rolls  of  list ;  the  chimney-piece  ornamented 
with  missionary  boxes  and  cards  for  shilling  and  penny 
subscriptions,  and  each  good  lady  had  a  great  basket  full 
of  poor-work. 

*  You  seem  to  have  an  immense  quantity  of  occupa- 
tion,' said  Emmeline. 

'  Why,  yes,  my  dear,'  said  Miss  Shaw,  *  you  see  we 
have  nothing  else  to  do,  and  we  are  very  glad  of  it,' 
'  And  how  very  useful  it  must  be,'  added  Kate. 
'  Why,  my  dear,'  said  Miss  Penelope,  with  her  usual 
laugh  and  nod  at  her  sister,  '  every  one  must  give  what 
they  can,  and  as  we  have  got  no  money  and  plenty  of  time 
— ^you  see  we  give  what  we  have.' 

'  And  to  give  time  is  much  more  and  better  than 
money,'  said  Emmeline. 

'  Quite  true,  my  dear  Miss  Emmeline,  quite  right,' 
said  both  the  sisters  together,  as  pleased  with  '  the  sweet 
girl's'  views,  as  if  her  truism  had  proceeded  from  the  pro- 
foundest  wisdom. 

'  Ah  !  we  shall  never  be  like  you,'  said  Kate,  '  but — ' 
There  came  a  confused  chorus  of  sincere  disclaimers 
of  any  real  merit  in  what  they  did,  of  which  '  0,  don't 
say  so  ! '  was  the  most  prominent  expression. 
k       Then  Kate  returned  to  beg  to  hear  what  she  and  Em- 
meline could  do. 

'  We  have  very  little  money,'  said  she,  hesitatingly, 
'  but  Emmeline  and  I  can  give  a  sovereign  a  year  between 
us,  to  any  thing  you  would  tell  us  of.  We  don't  like 
to  promise  more,'  she  added,  smiling  and  colouring  '  for 
though  Sir  Francis  is  very  kind,  and  makes  us  quantities 
of  presents,  we  have  not  much  of  an  allowance  of  our  own, 
because  we  are  to  be  rather  poor,  I  believe.' 

It  had  been  agreed  upon  before-hand  that  Kate,  as 
the  boldest,  should  make  this  speech,  but  they  need  not 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  63 

Lave  questioned  how  it  was  to  be  done,  for  the  Miss 
Shaws  were  delighted  both  with  their  generosity  and 
candour.  The  pound  was  divided  into  various  small 
subscriptions ;  and  the  girls  received  a  bundle  of  chil- 
dren's clothes  to  be  made  up,  and  some  little  books  to 
give  away,  after  which  they  all  set  out  together  for  the 
school. 

It  was  a  very  large  room,  airy  and  fresh,  with  a  great 
number  of  children  ranged  in  squares,  and  at  present  at 
work.  Emmeline  and  Kate  were  to  come,  if  they  could, 
every  Tuesday  and  Thursday  afternoon,  and  each  take  a 
class,  but  it  was  now  too  late  to  do  anything  but  look 
round,  inspect  the  work  a  little,  and  observe  which  of  the 
children  had  pretty  faces.  What  were  they  to  teach 
the  children  was  Kate's  question,  and  certainly  an 
expedient  one.  They  were  to  hear  them  repeat  their 
texts  or  hymns,  give  them  others  to  learn,  or  let  them  read 
a  chapter  in  the  Bible  and  explain  it. 

'  In  fact,'  said  Miss  Penelope,  as  they  left  the  school, 
'  we  allow  great  latitude  to  our  kind  afternoon  assistants. 
So  many  have  been  lost  by  too  rigidly  insisting  on  rules, 
and  every  one  is  not  so  willing  to  be  guided  as  you  and 
3^our  sister,  my  dear  Miss  Katherine.'. 

'  I  do  assure  you,'  said  Kate,  '  that  you  must  not 
think  we  know  much  about  it.  All  that  we  have  ever  had 
to  do  with  school-keeping,  was  in  that  short  visit  to  my 
sister  at  Copseley.' 

'  Ah  !  but  that  was  everything !  Everything,  I  am 
sure.  Besides,  it  is  the  desire,  the  will,  more  than  any- 
thing else.  Dear  me  !  I  often  think  what  a  happiness  it 
is,  that  it  is  the  wish  and  the  heart — or  what  should  we 
be  good  for  7 ' 

'  What,  indeed  !  '  responded  Miss  Shaw,  smiling  and 
nodding  her  head  in  unison  with  a  little  laugh  of 
humility. 

The  next  thing  was  to  show  them  '  their  district,'  a 
countrified  street,  comparatively  clean,  and  without  the 
fishy  smell  of  the  lower  part  of  the  town.  They  went 
to  one  house,  where  the  girls,  who  had  heard  of  such 
things  as  reading  and  praying  with  the  poor,  and  were 


64  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

afraid  it  was  incumbent  upon  them,  were  very  glad  to  find 
that  all  the  Miss  Sbaws  did,  was  to  hold  a  good-natured 
gossipping  colloquy  with  the  woman  about  her  husband's 
work,  and  other  matters  of  the  same  description. 

They  then  wished  the  little  ladies  good-bye,  and  re- 
turned home  in  high  spirits  as  well  they  might,  at  dis- 
covering such  an  excellent  receipt  for  obtaining  a  good 
opinion  of  themselves. 


THE   CASTLE   BUILDERS.  65 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Go,  the  rich  chariot  instantly  prepare, 
The  Queen,  my  Muse,  will  take  the  air. 

Cowley. 

*I  THINK,  my  dears,'  said  Lady  Willoughby,  as  she 
finished  dressing  to  go  out  to  dinner, '  I  think  it  would 
be  a  good  thing  if  you  were  to  ask  Miss  Townsend  to 
come  and  sit  in  the  drawing-room  with  you  this  even- 
ing. It  would  be  a  pleasant  thing  for  you,  and  she 
would  like  it,  poor  thing;  I  am  sure  she  must  be  moped 
with  spending  all  her  time  in  the  school-room.' 

'  Yes.  mamma,  we  will,'  answered  Emmeline,  recol- 
lecting with  a  little  compunction,  her  intentions  of 
taking  great  pains  to  be  kind  to  Miss  Townsend,  where- 
as all  that  she  had  done  was  to  speak  civilly  to  her 
whenever  she  came  in  her  way,  and,  once  or  twice,  to 
carry  her  the  newspaper  or  some  flowers. 

'  We  certainly  will,'  added  Kate.  *  As  you  say, 
mamma,  she  must  be  getting  moped.  Did  you  not  see 
how  she  cried  almost  all  last  Sunday  ?  ' 

'What  could  be  the  matter  ?  Poor  thing ! '  said 
Lady  Willoughby. 

'  I  had  a  great  mind  to  ask  her,'  said  Emmeline,  '  but 
we  knew  she  would  only  say  it  was  nothing,  and  shrink 
away.  But  did  you  not  see,  mamma,  all  through  after- 
noon service  ?  ' 

'  Dear  me  ! '  said  Lady  Willoughby,  '  I  hope  she  is 
not  going  to  get  low-spirited,  hysterical,  or  anything  of 


66  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

that  sort,  for  she  is  a  real  treasure,   and  manages  the 
children  to  perfection  ! ' 

'  0,  I  dare  say  it  is  only  being  so  lonely  here  by  her- 
self, poor  thing  !  '  said  Emmeline.  '  I  am  sure  I  could, 
often  have  cried  when  I  was  at  school,  and  what  must  it 
be  to  be  away  from  every  one,  without  even  a  sister  ?  ' 

'  It  will  never  do ! '  continued  Lady  Willoughby. 
'  Sir  Francis  would  be  much  vexed.  So  bad  for  the 
children  to  have  a  low-spirited  person  about  them. ' 

*  No,  no,  don't  be  uneasy,  mamma,'  said  Kate,  '  she 
is  always  cheeful  with  them,  I  assure  you  she  is,  and 
we  will  cheer  her  up,  and  do  all  we  can  to  brighten  her. 
I  will  go  this  minute  and  ask  her  to  come  down.' 

Kate  ran  quickly  to  the  school- room,  where  Miss 
Townsend,  with  a  book  in  her  hand,  was  watching  the 
three  children  building  a  tall  lantern-tower  with  wooden 
bricks.  Alfred,  as  the  steadiest  hand,  was  raising  the 
edifice,  which  began  to  reach  a  giddy  height,  Janet 
supplying  him  with  materials,  and  looking  at  his  pro- 
gress with  breathless  interest,  and  little  Edwin  sitting 
by,  also  holding  out  bricks,  but  when  Alfred  did  not 
take  them  quickly  enough,  secretly  making  threatening 
thrusts  with  them  at  the  walls,  with  a  droll  sly  face  of 
mischievous  glee,  as  if  trying  how  near  he  could  go,  with- 
out being  found  out. 

Suddenly,  just  as  Kate  was  saying,  '  Well  done, 
Alfred,  that  is  a  beauty,  indeed  ! '  Edwin's  hand  glided 
along  on  a  slippery  brick,  his  weapon  penetrated  the  frail 
wall,  and  down  came  the  tower,  almost  covering  him  with 
the  ruins. 

There  was  a  start  of  consternation ;  then  Alfred 
angrily  exclaimed,  '  Edwin  did  it ! '  and  Janet  put  out 
her  lip,  and  drew  up  her  face  for  a  cry.  Kate  had 
designs  of  rctreatiug  from  the  quarrel  and  scolding  that 
she  saw  impending,  but  she  was  curious  to  see  how  it 
would  turn  out. 

'  You  did  it  on  purpose,  you  naughty  child  ! '  cried 
Alfred. 

'  'Twas  very  cross  of  you  ! '  sobbed  Janet. 

'  I  didn't ! '  cried  Edwin,  fiercely. 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  67 

'Hiisli!  hush!  my  dears,'  said  Miss  Townsend,  com- 
ing forward,  and  taking  Edwin  by  the  hand.  '  Edwin, 
you  must  come  away  if  you  spoil  the  others'  play.  I 
hope  you  were  not  an  ill-natured  little  boy,  and  that  you 
did  not  mean  to  do  it.' 

'  No,'  said  Edwin,  '  my  hand  slipped.' 

'  Well,  then,  kiss  Alfred,  and  tell  him  you  are  sorry. 
Alfred,  you  recollect  what  you  told  me  this  morning  ?  ' 

Alfred  stood  as  if  he  was  trying  to  gulp  something 
down,  then,  suddenly  turning  round,  he  readily  received 
and  returned  Edwin's  kiss,  himself  kicked  away  the 
foundations  of  his  tower,  and  said  cheerfully,  '  Never 
mind,  Janet,  don't  cry,  we  will  build  it  up  again  in  no 
time.     Come,  Edwin,  you  be  mason's  man.' 

'  It  will  never  be  so  tall  again !  '  whined  Janet,  de- 
plorably. 

'Yes,  it  shall,'  said  Alfred.  'Why,  don't  be  silly, 
Janet — crying  will  never  build  it  up.' 

Still  Janet  cried,  or  rather  fretted,  for  it  was  not  ab- 
solutely crying. 

'  Come,  Janet,'  said  Miss  Townsend,  cheerfully.  '  I 
thought  you  were  going  to  be  a  brave  little  woman. 
There  is  your  sister  Kate,  you  must  not  treat  her  to  a 
trying  fit  now  she  is  come  to  visit  you.' 

'  AVe  have  never  made  it  so  high  before  ! '  Janet  went 
on. 

'  Yes,  it  was  a  great  pity,  said  Miss  Townsend  ;  '  but 
you  know  we  must  try  and  be  brave  when  we  are  sorry — 
try  and  have  self-command.' 

'  Have  I  self-command,  now  ?  '  said  Janet,  trying  to 
bring  her  crying  face  out  of  its  puckers,  in  such  a  droll 
way  that  Kate  could  hardly  help  laughing;  but  she 
wondered,  as  she  said  to  herself,  '  Are  these  the  same 
children  that  teazed  us  two  months  ago  ?  "What  fine 
fellows  the  boys  are,  and  how  beautifully  they  made  it 
up  !  '  Wherewith  she  sat  down  on  the  ground  among 
them,  and  gave  her  counsel  and  active  assistance  in  the 
re-construction  of  the  tower,  talking  merrily  to  the  chil- 
dren, and  making  her  visit  a  regular  treat.  She  asked 
Miss  Townsend's  leave  to  take  Alfred  down  to  drink  tea 


68  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

with  her  and  Emmcline,  to  reward  him  for  his  good  be- 
liaviour ;  and  then  said,  in  her  bright,  courteous  way,  '  Wo 
hope  you  will  always  come  to  sit  with  us,  in  our  solitude, 
when  they  are  gone  out.' 

Miss  Townsond  looked  up  with  something  of  pleasure 
and  something  of  surprise.  '  Thank  you,'  said  she  ;  '  if 
you  are  so  kind,  I  shall  be  very  glad.' 

'  Then  we  shall  see  you  this  evening,'  said  Kate. 
'  Come  Alfred.' 

'  Thank  you,'  again  said  Miss  Townsend.  '  As  soon 
as  the  children  are  gone  to  bed.' 

*  Provoking  woman,'  said  Kate  to  herself,  as  she  left 
the  room,  *  why  will  she  not  let  us  put  her  on  an  equality, 
it  would  be  so  much  more  convenient ! ' 

Little  Janet  stood  amongst  her  bricks,  looking  after 
her  sister,  in  her  eyes,  one  of  the  most  beautiful,  happy, 
and  privileged  creatures  in  the  world,  one  who  never 
cried,  who  had  no  lessons  to  learn,  dined  down  stairs 
with  papa  and  mamma,  who  might  go  where  she  pleased, 
who  could  talk  about  that  great  bright  mystery  to 
Janet's  imagination,  sister  Constance,  and  whose  notice 
was  in  itself  a  sort  of  happiness.  Poor  little  Janet, 
there  was  a  sore,  undefined  sense  of  injustice,  when 
she  saw  Alfred  praised  and  led  off  in  triumph,  while 
she,  conscious  of  a  grand  struggle  and  victory,  was 
scarcely  even  spoken  to.  She  turned  her  large  dark 
eyes  upon  her  governess  with  a  sort  of  piteous  appealing 
look,  and  in  another  moment  would  have  found  some- 
thing to  fret  about,  had  not  Miss  Townsend  come 
cheerfully  forward,  and  diverted  the  course  of  her 
thoughts  by  calling  on  her  and  Edwin  to  put  away  their 
bricks,  and  promising  them  a  story  afterwards.  *  Who 
could  shovel  up  the  most  bricks  in  one  handful?'  '  0, 
Edwin,  those  fat  hands  are  over-loaded !  Down  they 
go ! '  '  That  is  right,  careful  Janet,  slow  and  sure ! 
Your  basket  will  be  full  first,  after  all !  '  '  Take  care, 
Edwin,  don't  be  rude.'  '  Did  you  ever  hear  of  the  Hare 
and  the  Tortoise  ? ' 

'  0  no,  tell  me  that  story,'  said  Edwin. 

*  When  you  have  finished  putting  the  bricks  away. 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  69 

Don'fc  leave  Janet  to  do  them  all  alone.  There,  well  done. 
Drag  the  basket  away  between  you.    That's  right.' 

And  soon  there  were  the  children  leaning  against  her 
on  each  side,  looking  up  in  her  face,  while  in  the  most 
circumstantial  way  she  told  the  story  of  the  celebrated 
race,  dwelling  very  nearly  on  every  step  of  the  tortoise's 
progress,  so  that  the  children  seemed  to  have  their 
w^hole  hearts  engrossed  in  the  story.  Janet  clapped 
her  hands  when  the  tortoise  at  last  reached  the  goal, 
but  Edwin  held  that  if  he  had  been  the  hare,  he  would 
have  gone  to  sleep  with  one  eye  open,  and  have  yet 
overtaken  the  tortoise.  Miss  Townsend  did  not  attempt 
to  reason  with  the  varlet,  whose  opinion,  as  she  saw, 
was  taken  up  for  the  sake  of  argument ;  she  was  con- 
tented with  the  story  having  occupied  and  encouraged 
Janet. 

Miss  Townsend  felt  brightened  that  evening;  there 
was  something  in  the  Miss  Berners'  notice  almost  as 
pleasant  to  her  as  it  was  to  Janet,  and  though  a  little 
afraid  of  them,  it  was  a  treat  to  spend  an  evening  else- 
where than  in  that  one  room,  and  with  other  companions 
than  her  own  thoughts.  There  was  also  a  prospect  of 
more  pleasant  hours  to  be  spent  with  them,  to  invigorate 
her  for  the  spirit-wearing  work  of  the  day ;  and  might 
not  this  lead  to  more  intimacy  ?  sufficient  to  over- 
come her  own  foolish  shyness,  and  encourage  her  to 
talk  about  the  children  to  them,  so  as  to  convince  them 
that  poor  little  Janet  would  well  repay  a  little  more 
notice,  and  that  they  did  harm  by  always  preferring 
her  brothers. 

And,  above  all,  did  not  this  invitation  open  a  way  to 
her  to  make  a  request  which  would  relieve  her  of  a 
heavy  burthen  ?  There  was  weekly  Communion  at  Mr. 
Brent's  Church,  and  Miss  Townsend  had  been  used  to 
know  the  benefits  of  that  great  privilege ;  she  looked 
to  it  as  the  means  of  strength  and  of  grace,  and  dreaded 
to  turn  away,  and  neglect  the  calL  She  had  had  no 
opportunity  since  she  entered  upon  her  present  situation, 
until  they  came  to  Herringsby ;  but  there  she  had  the 
charge   of    the    two   elder   children   at   Church    in   the 


70  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

morning,  and  knew  not  how  to  dispose  of  them.  The 
servants  sat  in  a  distant  part  of  the  Church,  and,  besides, 
were  not  inclined  to  be  very  courteous  to  the  poor  little 
governess  ;  and  though  Sir  Francis  never  remained  on 
ordinary  Sundays,  and  she  knew  the  Miss  Berncrs  were 
unconfirmed,  her  invincible  timidity  added  to  her  natural 
reluctance  to  enter  on  the  subject  with  them.  It  was 
this  that  had  been  the  occasion  of  her  tears  on  Sunday, 
feeling  herself  debarred  from  the  great  blessing  of  which 
she  longed  to  partake,  blaming  herself  for  not  acting  a 
bolder  part,  and  conscious,  more  than  she  had  ever  before 
been,  of  loneliness  and  friendlessness.  But  now  she  had 
hopes  of  being  able  to  venture  to  beg  the  Miss  Berners 
to  take  the  little  ones  home,  or  even  what  would  be  too 
delightful  almost  to  be  hoped  for,  they  might  make  the 
offer  unasked. 

Miss  Townsend's  spirits  rose  with  the  hope,  which 
began  to  increase  when  Alfred  came  to  bed  in  high  glee 
at  the  various  delights  he  had  enjoyed  with  his  sisters ; 
and  when  she  had  heard  him  repeat  his  evening  prayer, 
and  bidden  him  good-night,  she  looked  out  her  comjDany- 
work,  her  little  bit  of  crochet,  and  prepared  to  descend 
without  even  sighing,  as  she  looked  at  her  bag,  the  part- 
ing gift  of  a  sickly  sister. 

In  the  meantime,  as  soon  as  Alfred  had  wished  them 
good-night,  the  sisters  had  taken  out  their  bundles  of 
garments,  and  their  needles.  Perhaps  it  was  from  not 
liaving  been  used  to  it  at  school,  that  they  had  rather  an 
affection  for  plain  work,  and  liked  the  bright  polished 
needle,  the  long  white  thread,  and  neat  stitches,  so  that 
the  small  pink  and  blue  frocks  with  which  Miss  Shaw 
had  provided  them,  were  more  attractive  to  them  than 
their  purse  netting  and  Berlin  work. 

Just  then  came  in  the  late  post,  and  a  long  letter,  from 
Constance,  was  given  to  Kate.  Much  did  it  say  of  the 
sights  of  Naples,  which  all  the  travellers,  including 
Lord  Herbert,  were  enjoying  greatly ;  and  Constance 
spoke  much  of  the  pleasure  of  hearing  them  talked  over 
by  her  fellow-travellers.  At  the  end  came  an  answer  to 
what  Kate  had  said  of  her  present  designs — '  It  is  very 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  Vl 

good  of  you  to  send  us  so  many  particulars  about 
Herringsby ;  I  should  like  to  be  able  to  fancy  the  room 
where  you  are  all  sitting,  and  what  you  are  doing  every 
hour  of  the  day,  but  I  must  just  tell  you  what  Herbert 
said  to  the  latter  part  of  your  letter.  When  I  read  to 
him  about  your  plans  for  district  visiting,  &c.,  he  said, 
"  Ah !  that  will  not  cZo,"  and  he  thinks  it  would  be  safer, 
at  your  age  especially,  not  to  engage  in  such  matters 
without  the  full  sanction  of  the  Clergyman  of  the  parish. 
Another  thing  that  he  says,  is,  that  he  hopes  you  are 
not  listening  to  all  the  stories  that  are  sure  to  float  about 
a  place  like  Herringsby,  respecting  the  Clergyman,  and 
he  thinks  that  if  he  were  in  Mr.  Brent's  place  he  might 
probably  do  things  which  you  would  consider  quite  as 
odd,  even  perhaps  not  allowing  his  school-children  to  be 
taught  by  chance  visitors,  whom  he  could  not  vnry  well 
examine,  to  see  if  their  doctrine  was  safe.' 

This  was  rather  a  chill  to  the  girls  for  a  momont,  but 
Erameline  quickly  recovered  it,  saying,  '  0,  you  know  we 
have  Mr.  Hunter's  sanction,  and  he  is  the  Clergyman  of 
the  parish  in  which  we  visit;  I  must  tell  Constance  so, 
and  that  must  be  what  Herbert  means.' 

*  Of  course,'  said  Kate,  '  no  reasonable  person  could 
mean  otherwise.' 

'  Oh!  yes,'  said  Emmeline,  'the  full  particulars  must 
satisfy  him  completely,  and  I  will  write  and  give  them. 
Ah  !  and  as  to  doing  things  as  odd  as  Mr.  Brent,  Herbert 
little  knows  what  his  ways  are.  He  would  not  have  done 
anything  so  discourteous  as  sending  back  the  tracts  to  the 
good  old  Miss  Shaws.' 

'  And  just  fancy  Herbert  turning  the  kind  gentleman 
out  of  the  poor  man's  house  ! '  said  Kate  ;  '  or  refusing 
that  whole  starving  family  the  least  assistance  because 
the  woman  went  in  the  evening  sometimes  to  a  prayer- 
meeting.' 

'  Or  turning  out  that  poor  boy  from  his  choir  because 
he  did  not  turn  to  the  East  one  day,'  said  Emmeline. 

'  Yes,'  said  Kate,  '  we  must  tell  Herbert  all  this,  and 
then  he  would  think  us  justified.' 

'  I  tell  you  what  he  would  think,'  said  Emmeline — 


72  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

'  that  we  have  been  listening  to  more  stories.  The  truth 
is,  Kate,  that  it  is  quite  impossible  for  any  one  to  judge 
without  being  on  the  spot  and  knowing  all  the  circum- 
stances. Just  fancy  letting  that  sweet-looking  little  girl, 
that  Alice,  grow  up  in  ignorance,  and  half  clothed,  only 
because  Mr.  Brent  chooses  to  set  his  face  against  any  one 
but  himself  doing  anything.' 

*  Certainly,  that  child  has  one  of  the  loveliest  faces  I 
ever  saw,'  said  Kate,  '  and  the  north  country  dialect 
sounded  so  very  pretty  in  her  mouth.' 

'  And  her  simplicity  was  so  nice  when  she  said  she 
used  to  go  to  school,  but  she  could  not  now  because  father 
had  had  words  with  Mr.  Brent,'  said  Emmeline. 

'  Ah,  that  was  no  vague  floating  story,'  said  Kate, 
'  when  we  had  it  from  the  very  child's  own  mouth.  How 
delightful  the  teaching  her  will  be  ! ' 

'  We  will  have  her  once  a  week  for  two  or  three 
years,'  said  Emmeline,  '  and  that  will  raise  and  refine 
her ;  she  has  a  great  deal  of  natural  refinement  already : 
don't  you  observe  it,  Kate,  in  her  manner  of  addressing 
one  ?  We  will  bring  her  on,  and  see  her  mind  grow,  and 
then  we  will  get  mamma  to  let  us  have  her  for  our  own 
little  maid,  and  she  will  be  almost  a  friend.  And  then, 
O  Kate,  when  we  settle  and  build  our  beautiful  Eliza- 
bethan school,  she  shall  be  the  mistress,  and  she  shall — ' 

As  Emmeline  was  in  the  full  swing  of  her  animated 
description,  a  slow  timid  step  crossed  the  outer  draw- 
ing-room, and  Miss  Townsend  stood  at  the  door.  The 
eager  voices  were  instantly  stilled,  and  there  was  a 
sort  of  momentary  blank,  of  which  no  one  was  so  pain- 
fully conscious  as  the  poor  little  author  of  the  inter- 
ruption. 

There  was  no  want  of  civility  on  the  part  of  the 
girls,  however ;  Emmeline  hastened  to  set  a  chair  near 
the  table,  and  Kate  asked  if  she  liked  having  the  window 
open. 

'  0  yes — yes — thank  you — 0,  thank  you,'  said  the 
low,  frightened  voice,  and  then  followed  a  dead  calm. 

'  How  hot  it  has  been  all  day !'  presently  said  Emme- 
line, in  the  formal  tone  with  which  she  used  to  address 
visitors  in  the  presence  of  Miss  Danby. 


THE    CASTLE   BUILDERS.  73 

'  Yes,  very. 

'  I  suppose  you  did  not  walk  far  to-day,'  said  Kate. 

'  Only  on  the  beach ;  it  is  always  cool  there.' 

'  And  the  children  enjoy  it  so  much,'  said  Kate. 

'  Yes,  very  much,  indeed.' 

Then  came  another  silence ;  Emmeline  began  to  grow 
restless  under  it,  walked  to  the  window,  leant  out,  won- 
dered if  it  was  much  warmer  at  Naples,  drew  in  her  head 
again,  and  returned  to  her  work. 

Kate,  glad  of  the  mention  of  Naples,  spoke  of  her 
letter ;  Miss  Townsend  hoped  Lord  Herbert  was  better, 
and  Lady  Herbert  quite  well;  and  Kate  having  begun 
on  the  subject,  read  aloud  what  she  called  '  the  traveller's 
wonder'  part  of  her  letter.  Miss  Townsend  was  inte- 
rested and  very  much  pleased,  but  she  took  it  for  granted 
that  the  Miss  Berners  knew  so  much  more  about  Pompeii 
than  herself,  that  they  grew  ashamed  of  seeming  to  lay 
down  the  law  about  antiquities,  and  let  the  conversation 
drop  once  more. 

Kate  tried  to  revive  it  again  after  a  little  interval,  by 
saying  how  very  well  Alfred  and  Edwin  had  behaved 
about  their  little  quarrel.  Miss  Townsend,  anxious  to 
say  a  good  word  for  poor  little  Janet,  ventured  to  observe 
that  she  had  made  a  great  effort  to  be  good, 

'  Poor  child,  I  dare  say  she  did,'  said  Kate,  '  but 
ehe  is  not  presentable  till  her  efforts  are  rather  less 
apparent.' 

This  was  cold  water,  indeed,  upon  Miss  Townsend, 
who  stifled  a  sigh  of  disappointment,  hooked  away  with 
her  crotchet  needle,  and  wished  she  could  dare  to  say 
a  word  to  controvert  the  speech,  which,  given  as  it  was, 
with  a  gay  jesting  air,  by  the  light-hearted  Kate,  had 
something  in  it  which  to  her  seemed  hard  and  almost 
unfeeling. 

Emmeline  did  not  mend  the  matter  by  saying,  in  a 
tone  of  commiseration,  that  she  wished  Janet  was  more 
engaging,  but  she  began  to  think,  with  the  old  school-mis- 
tress at  Copseley,  that  boys  had  always  better  tempers 
than  girls. 

Now  they  had  arrived  at  Copseley,  there  was  plenty 
4 


74  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

to  say  between  the  two  sisters,  and  on  they  talked 
about  Margaret  Forester,  and  her  house,  and  her  school, 
and  Lord  Herbert's  arrangements  in  his  curacy,  and 
their  regrets  that  he  had  been  obliged  to  give  it  up. 
They  talked,  and  Miss  Townsend  listened,  a  plan  which 
suited  both  parties  very  well,  and  the  wheels  of  time 
did  not  move  quite  so  heavily  between  nine  and  ten  as 
they  had  between  half-past  eight  and  nine.  Neverthe- 
less, Emmeline  and  Kate  agreed  that  if  all  their  evenings 
at  home  were  to  be  like  this  one,  the  sooner  they  came 
out  the  better ;  and  as  Miss  Townsend  returned  to  her 
own  room,  there  was  at  least  as  much  disappointment  as 
gratification  in  her  feelings. 

She  knew  that  the  two  sisters  were  very  happy  alone, 
and  though  grateful  to  them  for  wishing  to  be  kind  to 
her,  she  could  not  bear  to  come  down  and  be  an  en- 
cumbrance to  them,  so  she  resolved  not  to  join  ^hera 
a2;ain  in  the  evenino;  without  another  invitation.  Kate 
thought  she  had  asked  once  for  all,  and  the  next  eve- 
ning that  Sir  Francis  and  Lady  Willoughby  dined  out, 
the  two  sisters  began  doubly  to  enjoy  the  time  which 
they  looked  upon  as  their  own,  expecting  it  to  be  very 
short.  They  fetched  their  work,  and  Emmeline  placed  a 
paper  before  her,  on  which  was  a  half-composed  poem, 
about  '  a  fisherman's  child,' — a  ballad  in  numerous  stan 
zas,  which  were  now  just  ready  for  Kate's  advice  and 
admiration.  Kate  was  a  most  delightful  critic,  for  she 
never  failed  to  see  what  Emmeline  meant — admired  with 
her  whole  heart — was  a  capital  finder  of  rhymes,  and 
remodeller  of  lines,  and  could  even,  on  occasion,  insert 
a  whole  stanza,  which  no  one  would  have  known  from 
Emnieline's  own. 

No  less  than  four  times  had  '  the  blue-eyed  fisherman's 
daughter'  been  made  to  look  forth  upon  the  stormy  water; 
and  as  many  times  had  the  sea-fowl's  cry,  so  loud  and 
dreary,  replied  to  her  fainting  call  and  weary,  when  the 
clock  struck  nine,  and  Kate,  looking  up,  wondered  at  the 
lateness,  and  supposed  Miss  Townsend  would  not  come 
down  that  night. 

'  You  gave  her  a  general  invitation,'  said  Emmeline. 


THE    CASTLE   BUILDERS.  75 

'  0  yes,  that  I  did  ;  I  wonder  she  does  not  come.' 
'  I  suppose  she  finds  it  as  great  a  penance  as  we  did,' 
said  Emmeline. 

'  I  suppose  so,'  said  Kate.     '  Well — 

"And  o'er  the  raging  waters  swell."' 

The  raging  waters  had  by  no  means  been  satisfactorily 
lulled,  when  the  clock  struck  ten,  unregarded  ;  and  the 
'  broken  bark,  and  dripping  crew,'  had  not  yet  reached 
their  home  in  safety,  when  Sir  Francis  and  Lady  Wil- 
loughby  reached  theirs,  and  wondered  at  finding  their 
daughters  up  so  late. 

The  teaching  at  school  was  to  begin  on  the  next 
Thursday,  and  Emmeline  and  Kate  set  off  together, 
refusing  an  invitation  of  their  mamma's  to  take  a  drive 
with*  her.  Soon  they  were  at  the  school,  the  mistress 
receiving  them  very  politely,  and  the  monitors  setting 
chairs  for  them. 

Emmeline,  eagerly  as  she  had  undertaken  the  work, 
began  to  wish  herself  anywhere  else,  when  she  found 
herself  sitting  up  in  the  midst  of  a  square  of  girls,  who 
seemed  all  eyes,  staring  at  her,  and  that  not  in  the  shy 
unsophisticated  way  in  which  village  children  gaze  at 
the  unusual  apparition  of  a  stranger,  but  with  the  bold, 
searching  looks  of  town  children,  used  to  a  variety  of 
teachers,  and  with  no  awful  reverence  for  the  name  of 
lady.  And  what  in  the  world  could  she,  or  should  she, 
say  to  them  ?  She  recollected  how  at  Copseley,  Lord 
Herbert  had  put  the  book  into  her  hand,  shown  her  the 
portion  she  was  to  hear,  and  told  the  children  that  he 
hoped  she  would  be  able  to  tell  him  they  had  been  very 
ttentive.  That  was  teaching  under  authority,  and  what 
was  this  ?  Though  she  did  not  quite  ask  herself  this 
question,  she  could  not  but  be  sensible  of  the  dif- 
ference. 

All  she  could  do  was  to  reverse  the  usual  order  of 
things,  and  ask  the  head  girl  what  they  had  to  say  to 
her. 

'  Our  texts,  teacher,'  was  the  answer,  in  a  pert  ready 


76  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

tone,  and  out  came  a  card,  containing  a  number  of  texts, 
each  framed  in  a  scolloped  border,  which  the  girls  pro- 
ceeded to  repeat,  one  after  the  other,  very  fast,  and 
dwelling  on  the  references  to  chapter  and  verse,  Corin 
thians,  Ephesians,  twenty-third  chapter,  sixth  verse, 
&c.,  as  if  these  were  by  far  the  most  important  and 
remarkable  parts  of  the  lesson,  while  the  most  sacred 
names  were  slurred  over  without  any  of  those  outward 
tokens  of  reverence,  which  Emmeline  had  learnt  to 
think  their  necessary  adjunct ;  nay,  she  even  thought 
there  was  an  inclination  on  the  part  of  the  girls  to  look 
at  one  another,  and  smile,  when  she  herself  bowed  her 
head. 

The  repetition  was  over,  and  she  wondered  what  was 
to  come  next,  or  whether  the  texts  were  chosen  with 
reference  to  any  particular  subject,  for  they  seemed  to 
her  to  be  all  gathered  by  chance,  and  to  have  little  or  no 
connexion.  Seeing  her  at  a  loss,  the  head  girl  looked 
at  the  others,  some  of  whom  seemed  ready  to  titter,  and 
said,  '  Teacher  expounds.' 

Teacher  had  not  the  least  idea  how  to  expound,  but 
being  obliged  to  do  something,  she  looked  at  the  first 
text,  which  was,  '  Let  me  die  the  death  of  the  righteous, 
and  let  my  last  end  be  like  his,'  and  asked  if  they  knew 
who  said  it  ? 

'  Numbers,  twenty-third  chapter,  tenth  verse,'  was  the 
first  answer  she  received. 

Here  was  something  to  begin  upon,  and  she  proceeded 
to  ask  whether  they  thought  Numbers  was  a  man.  The 
upper  ones  laughed,  and  said  no,  it  was  a  book ;  some 
of  them  knew  who  wrote  the  book,  and  what  it  was 
about,  and  then  she  came  to  the  history  of  Balaam, 
with  which  it  was  possible  to  get  on  very  well,  and  it 
occupied  her  very  tolerably  till  she  saw  Kate  standing 
up  in  the  midst  of  her  class,  looking  ready  for  her  to 
make  a  move  to  come  away.  Kate  had  had  some 
hymns  to  hear,  and  these  had  taken  up  so  much  time 
that  she  had  no  leisure  to  feel  as  awkward  as  her  sister 
had  done,  and  was  pleased  on  the  whole,  with  her  day's 
work.      Emmeline   was,   however,  resolved   to    go    next 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  77 

time  witli  some  plan  in  her  head,  and  not  to  be  left  to 
the  mercy  of  the  class,  or  to  be  called  upon  to  discourse 
on  texts  at  a  moment's  warning,  a  work,  which  she  was 
quite  sure.  Lord  Herbert  would  never  have  set  her 
to  do. 

She  resolved,  but  not  very  fully,  for,  after  talking 
over  half  a  dozen  plans  with  Kate,  she  went  to  school  the 
next  Tuesday  without  having  settled  upon  any,  and  the 
texts  were  again  brought  out.  The  first  was,  this  time, 
from  one  of  the  Epistles,  and  there  was,  therefore,  none 
of  that  history  belonging  to  it,  which  had  served  her  so 
well  on  the  former  occasion,  so  she  decided,  in  haste,  on 
the  first  of  her  plans  that  came  into  her  head,  and  asked 
if  they  had  said  the  Catechism  that  day? 

*  No.'     And  the  girls  stared. 

Emmeline  took  out  her  prayer-book,  meaning  to  go 
straight  through,  and  then  question  them  upon  it ;  but 
she  found  that  these,  though  the  head  girls,  were  very 
far  from  having  anything  like  a  proper  knowledge  of  it ; 
they  made  numerous  mistakes,  and  when  she  seemed 
surprised,  the  foremost  girl  said  that  they  only  repeated 
it  once  a  week,  and  not  always  the  whole  of  it  then. 

Emmeline  was  quite  glad  to  find  a  line  she  could 
take,  and  something  positive  to  be  done ;  she  told  the 
girls  she  should  hear  them  again  next  time,  and  hoped 
they  would  be  more  perfect,  and  then,  to  stimulate  them 
more,  told  them  what  little  children  she  had  seen  at 
Copseley,  saying  it  without  missing  a  word.  They  smiled, 
and  seemed  to  like  to  hear  her,  for  the  great  gentleness 
and  refinement  of  Emmeline's  manners  were  exactly  cal- 
culated to  win  the  attention  of  even  these  girls,  who  had 
been  used  to  little  like  them. 

'  Yes,'  said  Emmeline  to  Kate,  as  they  went  home, 
*  it  is  just  the  thing  for  us  to  do,  since  no  one  else  takes 
any  pains  about  the  Catechism.' 

'I  wonder  how  they  can  teach  without  it,'  said  Kate, 
4t  is  not  at  all  like  Copseley.' 

'  No,  I  suppose  it  is  from  their  having  so  many 
teachers  and  allowing  them  such  great  latitude,  as  Miss 
Penelope  calls  it;  every  one  teaches  what  she  pleases, 


78  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

and  we  will  take  the  Catechism  on  our  hands.  I  have 
got  a  little  book  about  it  somewhere,  I  am  sure,  which  we 
used  to  learn  when  we  were  at  Mrs.  Ellison's.' 

*  And  we  may  learn  plenty  of  questions  to  ask  them, 
by  listening  to  Mr.  Brent's  catechizing  in  the  afternoon 
service,'  said  Kate. 

*  Yes,  that  he  certainly  does  well,'  said  Emmeline. 
*  I  am  sure  that  I  see  nothing  to  object  to  in  his  ways  in 
Church,  whatever  other  people  may  say.  But  come, 
shall  we  go  to  any  of  our  poor  people,  or  is  it  too  late  ?  ' 

The  sisters  liked  to  say  '  our  poor  people,'  and  they 
really  did  like  one  old  man,  one  woman,  and  three  chil- 
dren, in  their  district.  The  old  man  was  half  blind,  very 
thankful  to  them  for  reading  to  him,  and  more  fond  of  tell- 
ing them  how  the  place  had  altered  within  his  recollection ; 
the  woman  was  a  cheerful,  thankful,  contented  body,  who 
liked  a  chat  with  any  one,  gentle  or  simple ;  and  of  the 
children,  one  was  the  Alice  whom  they  designed  for  a 
heroine,  another  was  a  fat  laughing  baby,  and  the  third  a 
poor  little  gentle  blind  child. 

These  they  went  often  to  visit,  but  the  others  they  did 
not  like ;  there  was  a  woman  who  smoked  a  pipe ;  there 
was  a  discourteous  woman  who  always  seemed  to  wish 
them  out  of  her  house  ;  there  was  an  untidy  woman,  out 
of  whcse  house  they  always  wished  themselves  ;  there  was 
a  woman  who,  as  Mr.  Ilunter  had  warned  them,  did  not 
tell  truth ;  there  was  a  whining  woman,  who  tried  to  ex- 
tract shillings  from  them  by  deplorable  stories ;  there  was 
a  woman  who  always  fancied  her  children  were  ill-used  at 
school;  and  there  was  a  scolding  woman,  of  whom  they 
were  positively  afraid,  she  used  so  to  rail  against  every 
one  concerned  in  any  of  the  charities  of  the  place,  who, 
according  to  her,  were  always  combined  to  do  her  injus- 
tice. 


THE    CASTLE   BUILDERS.  79 


CHAPTEH  yil. 

No,  cast  by  fortune  on  a  frowning  coast, 
Which  neither  groves  nor  happy  valleys  boast, 
Where  other  cares  than  those  the  Muse  relates, 
And  other  shepherds  dwell  with  other  mates, 
By  such  examples  taught,  I  paint  the  cot 
As  truth  will  paint  it,  and  as  bards  will  not, 

Oeabbb. 

In  the  meantime  the  family  had  settled  down  into  the  way 
of  life  which  seemed  likely  to  be  usual  with  it.  Break- 
fast-time was  called  nine,  but  the  meal  was  seldom  over 
till  past  ten  ;  for  though  Sir  Francis  was  always  punctual, 
would  have  the  urn  in  exactly  at  the  right  moment,  and 
always  himself  began  breakfast  with  the  girls,  Lady  Wil- 
loughby  was  seldom  down  stairs  till  considerably  later, 
and  as  she  was  very  deliberate  in  her  proceedings,  it  lasted 
an  unbearable  time. 

Emmeline  and  Kate  could  not  bear  it,  and  used  to 
make  their  escape,  tea-maker  though  the  former  was,  and 
though  they  knew  that  their  absence  was  not  liked. 

Their  stroll  generally  lasted  till  they  had  reason  to 
think  Sir  Francis  would  soon  be  coming  out,  to  look  at  a 
certain  ornamental  fence  which  he  was  having  made,  and 
which  he  would  be  sure  to  ask  them  to  come  and  visit ; 
and  then  there  was  no  end  to  what  they  would  have  to 
hear  about  wood,  paint,  railings,  and  patterns. 

From  his  fence,  he  walked  into  the  town  to  choose  the 
fish  for  dinner,  and  look  at  the  newspapers  at  the  reading- 
room.     Lady  Willoughby  was  in  her  own  room,  and  the 


so  THE    CASTLE   BUILDERS. 

girls  were  free  to  draw,  read,  or  practice  their  music  as 
they  pleased. 

When  Sir  Francis  came  home,  but  before  luncheon, 
he  was  sure  to  be  ^  j^'^^^  '^''^'  ^^  there  were  more  books  or 
papers  about  the  room  than  he  approved,  and  it  was  a 
time  too  when  he  used  to  see  ways  of  improving  the  ar- 
rangement of  the  furniture,  so  that  the  little  quiet  com- 
fortable nooks  of  the  sisters  were  continually  liable  to  be 
demolished,  and  they  used  to  congratulate  themselves 
when  the  piano  was  allowed  to  remain  in  the  same  place 
for  a  week  together. 

Luncheon  was  another  long  affair,  and  it  was  a  '  white 
day'  when  there  was  no  fault  found  with  the  cookery, 
Kate  and  Emmeline  very  seldom  saw  the  end  of  it,  for 
they  had  a  horror  of  being  caught  and  kept  in  by  a  suc- 
cession of  visitors,  and  hastened  out  of  doors  as  fast  as 
they  could,  to  their  school,  their  poor  people,  to  take  their 
work  to  the  Miss  Shaws,  or  to  enjoy  a  little  idleness  by 
the  sea  shore.. 

The  children  were  always  in  the  drawing-room  before 
dinner,  and  Alfred  and  Janet  came  in  at  dessert.  When 
they  went  to  bed,  Lady  Willoughby  liked  to  be  read  to, 
out  of  some  circulating  library  book,  and  this  was  very 
pleasant  in  itself,  only  that  there  was  so  little  time  in  the 
evening,  that  they  proceeded  very  slowly,  and  Emmeline 
and  Kate  generally  knew  the  whole  story  to  the  end  be- 
fore she  had  heard  half  through  the  first  volume. 

Then  came  tea,  and  Sir  Francis.  Emmeline  and  Kate 
tried  to  make  reading  compatible  with  hearing  him  talk, 
but  were  generally  obliged  to  give  it  up  in  despair.  Now 
and  then  he  told  something  entertaining,  but  more  often 
he  went  prosing  on  interminably  about  what  he  had  read 
in  the  newspaper,  or  his  plans  of  buying  an  estate,  or  his 
fence,  till  sometimes  even  Kate,  the  most  enduring,  could 
bear  it  no  longer,  and  used,  at  the  first  pause,  to  ask  her 
mamma,  if  she  would  not  like  some  music. 

Emmeline  could  not  help  feeling,  with  a  soreness  of 
heart,  that  she  and  her  sister  were  as  much  alone  together, 
and  as  entirely  dependent  on  each  other,  as  they  had  been 
at  school.     There  was  no  real  companionship  from  any 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  81 

one  else ;  and  though  they  were  very  happy  and  sufficient 
for  one  another,  it  was  disappointing  to  recollect  her  hope. 
Without  her  sister,  Kate  would  have  been  more  generally 
obliging,  and  less  faultfinding;  but  then,  on  the  other 
hand,  she  would  have  grown  entirely  into  the  tone  of  the 
people  with  whom  she  lived,  and  never  have  known  any 
of  those  aspirations  for  the  true,  the  good,  the  great,  the 
beautiful,  which  she  shared  with  Emmeline,  and  which, 
though  fitful,  failing,  and  often  misdirected,  were  never- 
theless a  straining  after  the  course  which  alone  could  lift 
them  above  the  things  of  this  present  life. 

The  middle  of  the  summer  came,  and  brought  with 
it  Frank  Willoughby's  holidays.  He  arrived  on  a  Satur- 
day afternoon,  looking  very  bluff,  rosy,  and  good-natured, 
with  his  child's  face  on  his  great  boy's  person,  and  seemed 
very  happy  and  joyous,  and  ready  to  treat  them  all,  as  if 
he  had  known  them  all  his  life.  Every  one,  excepting 
Lady  Willoughby  ;  but  though  he  was  always  remarkably 
polite  and  attentive  to  her,  the  more  softly  and  affection- 
ately she  addressed  him,  the  more  shy  and  embarrassed 
he  grew. 

On  Sunday  morning,  on  the  way  to  Church,  Frank 
was  walking  with  Emmeline  and  Alfred. 

'  Who  is  that  behind  with  Janet  ? '  said  Frank. 

'  Miss  Townsend,'  said  Emmeline. 

'  I  thought  so,  only  you  seemed  to  have  sent  her  to 
Coventry.' 

'  She  is  so  shy,  poor  thing,  it  only  is  a  pain  to  her  to 
be  spoken  to.' 

'  I  suppose  I  must  put  her  to  that  pain  some  time  or 
other.  Shall  I  now?  The  sooner  the  better.  Come, 
introduce  me,  Emmeline ;  do  it  genteelly.' 

'  I  assure  you,  Frank,  there  is  no  occasion  for  it ;  it 
would  make  her  think  we  were  laughing  at  her.' 

'  Why,  I  thought  you  went  to  school  to  '  larn  manners,' 
or  were  they  an  extra  ?  ' 

Emmeline  laughed.  '  I  tell  you  we  never  do  introduce 
people  to  her,  it  would  only  distress  her.' 

'  I  don't  want  you  to  introduce  people  ;  I  want  jou  only 
to  introduce  me.  So  you  don't  know  how  !  Well,  I  should 
4* 


82  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

have  thought  you  would  have  done  your  fine  school  more 
credit !  I  must  take  myself  in  my  hand  and  introduce 
myself.' 

'  Emmeline  was  really  alarmed  lest  he  might  intend 
to  make  game  of  the  poor  little  governess,  and  began 
anxiously,  '  But,  Frank,  I  beg  you  won't  do  anything  to 
annoy  her.  You  don't  know  what  a  frightened  creature 
it  is.' 

'  Frank  shruir^ed  his  shoulders,  as  if  in  disre;;ard,  and 
Emmeline  began  to  think  what  dreadful  things  school- 
boys were,  so  reckless  of  any  one's  feelings,  when,  as  they 
stood  still.  Miss  Towusend  and  Janet  came  up. 

All  Frank  did  was,  however,  to  hold  out  his  hand, 
and  say,  '  Good  morning  ! '  Miss  Townsend  certainly  did 
look  very  much  surprised,  and  answered  in  her  breathless 
way  ;  and  with  this  Frank  seemed  satisfied,  let  Janet  take 
his  hand,  and  went  on  with  her  and  Alfred,  while 
Emmeline  found  herself  obliged  to  walk  a  little  way  by 
Miss  Townsend,  and  observe  upon  the  fineness  of  the  da}^, 
&c.  She  was  obliged  to  perceive  that  Frank  had  acted 
from  a  sense  of  the  courtesy  due  to  Miss  Townsend,  and 
very  much  surprised  she  was ;  but  she  was  to  find  more 
subjects  of  surprise  in  her  step-brother  before  she  in  any 
degree  guessed  at  his  real  character. 

They  missed  him  when  they  had  all  left  the  Church, 
and  returned  home,  the  walking  party  having  supposed 
he  was  with  the  carriage,  and  Lady  Willoughby  and 
Emmeline,  who  had  driven  back  together,  being  surprised 
that  he  did  not  appear  with  the  walkers.  Sir  Francis 
fidgetted  about  him,  fancied  he  had  found  some  acquaint- 
ance, or  else  had  missed  them  and  lost  his  way ;  but,  at 
last,  just  as  luncheon  was  half  over,  in  walked  Frank, 
looking  as  brisk  and  happy  as  possible. 

'  Where  have  you  been  ?  '  was  Sir  Francis's  instant 
inquiry. 

*  At  Church,  sir,'  answered  Frank. 

'  0 — what—  staying  ? '  said  Sir  Francis.  '  Ah,  Frank, 
your  uncle  has  made  you  his  own  nephew.' 

To  which  Frank  made  no  answer. 

It  was  a  pleasautcr  Sunday  evening  than  usual.     The 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  83 

children  were  down  stairs,  and  Frank  helped  Edwin  and 
Cecilia  to  set  up  their  Noah's  Ark,  making  absurd 
speeches  about  the  birds  and  beasts ;  and  when  they  were 
gone  to  bed,  Lady  Willoughby  to  sleep,  and  Sir  Francis 
into  the  '  Times,'  the  girls  went  out  to  stroll  in  the  garden, 
whither  Frank  soon  followed  them,  and  began  asking 
questions  about  the  two  Churches,  the  name  of  the  Vicar, 
&c. 

It  was  not  to  be  supposed  that  such  an  opportunity 
of  telling  the  stories  against  Mr.  Brent  could  be  missed, 
and  they  were  fast  poured  out ;  but  there  must  have  been 
a  strong  spirit  of  contradiction  in  Frank,  for  all  he  said 
to  the  turning  out  of  Mr.  Denham,  which  was  always  the 
head  and  front  of  his  offences,  was,  '  Served  him  right.' 

'  0,  Frank !  when  he  was  reading  so  kindly  to  the 
poor  sick  man.' 

'  Poor  sick  man,  indeed ;  why,  I  am  sure  I  should  be 
o-bliged  to  any  one  for  keeping  Mr.  I  don't  know  who, 
from  marching  up  into  my  bedroom  at  all  manner  of  times, 
and  reading  me  to  death.' 

'  But  this  was  a  poor  man,'  said  Kate. 

'  Well,  and  do  you  think  poor  men  have  not  their  feel- 
ings as  well  as  rich  men  ?  ' 

Kate  found  that  she  was  not  getting  the  best  of  it  in 
this  argument,  so  she  shifted  her  ground,  and  proceeded 
to  the  tract  story. 

'  I  dare  say  the  people  were  glad  to  be  saved  the 
trouble  of  reading  them,'  said  unreasonable  Frank. 

'  It  is  of  no  use  to  talk  to  him,  Kate,'  said  Emmeline, 
'  he  is  bent  on  defending  Mr.  Brent  through  thick  and 
thin.' 

*  Of  course,'  said  Frank.     '  What  else  should  I  do  ?  ' 

'  If  you  knew  anything  about  it,'  said  Kate. 

'  How  much  do  you  know  ?  '  said  Frank,  turning  his 
round  blue  eyes  upon  her  with  a  roguish  look. 

'  There  is  no  answer  to  that,'  said  Emmeline,  '  for 
"  every  one  "  is  an  authority  which,  of  course,  it  is  not 
worth  while  to  quote.' 

'  Can  one  get  to  the  top  of  that  tower  ? '  exclaimed 
Frank,  suddenly  quitting  the  subject. 


84  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

*  Yes,  to  be  sure,'  said  Kate,  '  the  door  is  open,  and 
there  are  the  stairs,  only  it  is  very  dusty  work.' 

Frank  ran  towards  it,  and  in  another  minute  was  hail- 
ing them  from  the  top  of  the  tower.  Making  a  fantastic 
bow,  he  cut  a  caper  in  the  middle,  gazed  all  round,  then 
disappeared  again,  and  presently,  with  a  great  effort,  com- 
pelled the  rusty  hinges  of  a  small,  pointed  arched 
window  to  open,  called  out,  '  Here  is  such  a  famous  lot) 
of  bats  ! '  / 

'  I  should  think  so  ! '  said  Emmeline. 

'  It  is  a  very  nice  room,'  said  Frank.  '  Why  don't 
you  have  it  cleaned  up,  and  sit  in  it  ?  ' 

*  I  do  think  it  would  be  a  capital  plan  !  '  cried  Kate. 

'  So  it  would,'  said  Emmeline,  adding,  in  a  half  whisper 
to  her  sister,  '  we  should  be  out  of  the  way  of  company, 
and  Sir  Francis  too.' 

Frank  presently  came  forth  again,  with  something 
under  his  handkerchief,  which  proved  to  be  a  bat — a 
creature  of  which  the  sisters  had  never  before  had  so  near 
a  view — and  they  were  delighted  to  look  at  its  velvet 
ears,  sharp  eyes,  clever-looking  face,  and  strange  wings. 
Emmeline  said  it  put  her  in  mind  of  some  unearthly 
monster,  and  she  thought  nothing  could  be  more  appro- 
priate to  ruins  and  twilight  hours,  than  this  wierd-like 
thing ;  and  then  lines  began  to  float  through  her  mind  of 
some  wild  '  song  of  the  bat,'  when  the  awkward  recollec- 
tion occurred  to  her  that  bats  are  not  in  the  habit  of 
singing. 

'  What  are  you  going  to  do  with  it?'  said  Kate,  in 
some  dread  of  school-boy  cruelties. 

'  Do  you  want  any  more  of  it  ? '  said  Frank.  '  Then 
there — '  and  he  threw  the  bat  up  high  in  the  air,  where 
they  could  see  its  dark  form  flitting  about  with  its  rapid 
and  silent  flight,  now  visible  against  the  still  bright  blue 
sky,  now  lost  against  the  darker  trees. 

They  were  sorry  when  Sir  Francis  put  his  head  out  of 
the  window  and  ordered  them  all  to  come  in  out  of  the 
dew. 

Frank  attended  his  father's  inspection  of  the  fence  the 
next  morning,  but  as  soon  as  he  was  released  from  it  ho 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  M 

was  off  to  the  tower.  Emmeline  and  Kate  could  not  help 
leaving  their  avocations  to  come  and  see  what  he  was 
about.  He  was  in  all  the  glory  of  an  immense  rummaging, 
poking  out  rubbish  of  all  sorts,  of  which  the  unfortunate 
place  had  been  made  the  depository — broken  bottles,  di- 
lapidated brooms,  old  garden  tools,  and  scraps  of  carpet, 
nearly  choked  with  dust,  and  yet  declaring,  and  they  con 
curred  with  him,  that  nothing  could  be  more  '  nice  '  than 
the  place  was. 

Miss  Townsend  had  a  real  holiday  that  afternoon, 
while  her  three  charges  were  in  the  extreme  of  happiness, 
helping  their  brother  and  sisters  at  the  tower  carrying  off 
the  rubbish,  the  more  charming  because  it  was  so  very 
dusty,  wheeling  it  off,  and  discovering  strange  treasures  in 
it.  There  were  Emmeline  and  Kate  pulling  out  the  hoards 
of  dirty  rubbish  with  their  dainty  little  hands,  and  there 
was  Frank  busiest  of  all,  contriving  schemes  for  the  re- 
newal of  the  apartment.  Never  were  people  happier  than 
those  six,  more  especially  when  Kate  was  sent  on  an  em- 
bassy to  the  housemaid,  to  borrow  a  broom,  and  all  in 
turn  essayed  sweeping.  Nor  was  the  sport  less  the  next 
day,  when  Frank  set  himself  to  repair  the  deficiencies  in 
the  wood-work,  and  the  tower  was  the  great  delight  of  all 
the  holidays,  for  there  never  failed  to  be  something  to  con- 
trive there,  or  something  to  admire. 

The  girls  sometimes  wondered  what  Frank  would  have 
done  without  it,  for  he  was  not  much  of  a  reader,  seldom 
opened  even  the  books  which  they  accounted  most  enter- 
taining, and  did  not  seem  to  have  many  pursuits  of  his 
own.  They  were  surprised  that  he  was  so  pleasant  a 
companion,  and  perhaps  they  would  have  been  still  more 
surprised  to  find  that  often  as  they  thought  him  very  odd 
and  very  unreasonable,  there  was  no  one  whose  opinion 
they  held  in  such  esteem. 

The  next  Sunday,  Frank  asked  Kate  if  she  had  not 
been  Confirmed.  She  explained.  He  gave  a  whistle  of 
disapproval,  and  then  said,  '  Why  don't  you  take  the 
children  off  the  hands  of  those  who  have  been  ?  ' 

'  Miss  Townsend  ?  '  said  Kate  ;  '  0,  do  you  mean  so 
that  she  might  stay  to  the  Sacrament  ?  Well,  so  we 
might,  but  surely  she  might  have  asked  us.' 


86  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

'  Surely  you  mifrht  have  asked  her,'  said  Frank. 

'  Why,  so  we  would,'  said  Kate,  '  if  it  had  been  Easter 
or  Christmas,  or  any  other  time  like  those  ;  but  I  never 
thouo;ht  of  a  person's  wishing  to  stay  every  Sunday.' 

To  this  Frank  made  no  answer,  and  Kate  went  on, 
'  It  was  monthly  at  Copseley,  and  I  thought  it  was  only 
every  week  here,  because  this  is  such  a  populous  place ; 
but  do  you  really  think  it  necessary  to  stay  always  ? ' 

Frank  suddenly  called  to  Alfred  to  look  at  a  white- 
winged  sea-gull. 

Kate  did  not  think  much  without  Emmeline  to  help 
her,  but  she  could  not  help  perceiving  that  Frank  had 
much  higher  ideas  of  the  privileges  he  enjoyed  than  she 
had  of  those  which  she  had  as  yet  missed.  The  ofifer  was 
made  that  same  evening  to  Miss  Townsend  of  taking  charge 
of  the  children  whenever  she  wished  them  to  leave  Church 
without  her. 

'  0,  thank  you,  thank  you,'  she  answered  earnestly. 
'  And  since  you  are  so  kind,  I  may  as  well  say  it  at  once : 
would  you  think  it  too  much  if  it  was  as  often — as  often 
as  once  a  fortnight  ?  ' 

'  Every  Sunday,  if  you  like,'  said  Kate. 

'  0,  thank  you,  thank  you,'  exclaimed  Miss  Townsend, 
*  you  do  not  know  how  happy  you  have  made  me.' 

Kate  was  struck  by  the  great  joy  and  gratitude  ex- 
pressed in  her  countenance. 

'  I  am  very  glad  you  mentioned  it,'  said  she  to  Frank  the 
next  evening  when  the  three  were  sitting  at  tea  together, 
their  elders  being  gone  to  a  dinner  party,  '  the  poor  little 
woman  could  not  have  been  more  grateful  if  I  had  re- 
lieved her  of  governesship  for  life.' 

Frank  put  on  one  of  his  odd  faces,  and  said,  '  I  should 
think  so ! ' 

'  I  would  not  be  a  governess !  '  said  Emmeline. 

'  You  may  earn  a  good  livelihood  at  papering,'  said 
Frank,  looking  towards  the  tower,  where  they  had  all  day 
been  papering  the  walls  with  Punch  and  the  Pictorial 
Times. 

'  Well,  when  you  set  up  to  be  builder  and  upholsterer 
we  will  come  to  you  for  work,'  said  Kate. 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  87 

'  Bargaining  that  you  don't  upset  tlic  paste  over  mo 
again,'  said  Emmcline.  '  But  by-thc-bye,  Frank,  what  are 
you  really  to  be  ?  ' 

'  0,  a  clergyman,'  said  Frank. 

'  I  should  think  you  were  just  made  for  it,'  said  Em- 
meline.     '  You  must  be  Herbert's  curate.' 

'  No  ;  I  am  to  be  uncle  Willoughby's,'  said  Frank. 

'  I  suppose  you  will  like  that  very  much.' 

'  To  be  sure,'  said  Frank.  '  Ho  has  almost  more  than 
he  can  well  do  now,  and  I  should  be  very  glad  to  help 
him.' 

'  How  very  fond  of  him  you  must  be  !  You  cannot 
think  hov/  we  enjoyed  his  visit  to  us  in  London,  and  the 
day  we  went  shopping  with  him.' 

'  I  wonder  if  you  will  ever  go  to  Dumblethway te  ! ' 
said  Frank,  '  I  should  like  you  to  see  it  !  Emmie  would 
soon  be  for  making  her  fine  descriptions.' 

'  0,  do  tell  us  about  it !  Is  it  such  a  beautiful 
country  ? ' 

'  0,  very  well  for  that.  There  is  such  a  walnut-tree 
in  the  garden  as  you  never  did  see,  and  the  kidney  pota- 
toes are  the  best  in  all  the  country  round.' 

'  Well,  but  are  there  mountains,  and  water,  and 
scenery  I ' 

'  There  is  a  famous  great  horse-pond  just  as  you  come 
into  the  village.' 

'Horse-pond!'  cried  Emmeline  in  horror,  at  which 
Fjank  delighted  to  laugh. 

'  A  very  good  thing  too,'  said  Frank. 

'  How  foolish  of  me  to  think  you  knew  what  scenery 
meant,  you  wretch,'  said  Emmeline. 

'  I  know  what  it  means,'  answered  Frank,  his  eyes 
fixed  on  a  framed  water-coloured  drawing,  '  it  means  a 
black  crooked  tree,  with  dirt-coloured  cablDages  growing 
all  over  it,  and  two  or  three  powdered  wigs  up  in  the  air, 
and  a  blue  thing  like  a  snake  running  up  hill,  and  a  red 
sack  with  a  cat's  face  and  a  pair  of  horns  in  front.  I  am 
afraid,  Emmie,  there  is  no  scenery  at  Dumblethwayte  ! ' 

'  That  is  for  you,  Kate,  you  must  answer,'  said  Emme- 
line. 


88  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

'0  dear!  is  it  Kato's  doing?'  said  Frank,  putting 
up  his  hands  before  his  face,  and  pretending  to  shrink 
away  with  shame,  in  the  most  ludicrous  manner.  '  What 
shall  I  do  !     I  ask  pardon  with  all  my  heart ! ' 

'  Just  as  if  you  did  not  do  it  on  purpose,'  said  Kate, 
laughing,  '  Well,  when  I  do  a  picture  for  you,  there 
shall  be  a  horse-pond  in  the  middle,  '  a  round  pond,  and  a 
pretty  pond  too,'  a  walnut-tree  on  one  side,  and  our  tower 
on  the  other.' 

'  And  all  the  leaves  on  the  trees  shall  be  as  green  as 
grass,'  said  Emmeline. 

'  Well,  so  you  shall,'  said  Frank  ;  *  I  hold  you  to  your 
bargain,  Katie,  and  mind  you  make  plenty  of  walnuts  on 
the  tree.  I'll  tell  you  what  is  fun  :  to  pelt  the  children 
with  the  walnuts  when  they  come  out  of  school,  and  sec 
them  scramble  for  them  !  Well,  I  wonder  when  I  shall 
go  there  again.  It  is  just  getting  to  harvest  time  now, 
and  old  Jem  Churcher  rings  the  harvest  service  bell  at 
half-past  five,  and  all  the  people  come  to  Church  before 
they  go  out  to  the  fields  !  That  would  be  what  you  would 
call  like  a  picture,  Emmie,  seeing  them  all  come  out  from 
under  the  Church  gateway  with  their  reap  hooks,  and 
their  little  wooden  kegs  of  beer.  Yes,  and  just  this  very 
time — 'tis  eight,  is  not  it  ? — he  will  be  ringing  the  cur- 
few, and  nobody  stops  a  bit  in  the  field  after  that,  but  in 
they  come  almost  all  of  them,  at  least  to  Church,  and  you 
can't  think  how  pretty  it  is  coming  out,  to  see  the  porch 
and  the  Church-yard  all  heaped  up  with  their  sheaves  of 
gleaning.  My  uncle  always  likes  to  look  at  4hem  so 
much,  and  it  is  a  famous  time  to  hear  what  they  think  of 
the  weather,  and  how  the  crops  are.' 

'How  beautiful!'  said  Emmeline,  and  Frank  looked 
much  pleased. 

*  But,'  said  Kate,  '  is  the  having  service  your  uncle's 
doing,  or  was  it  always  so  ?  ' 

'  0,  always  !'  said  Frank.  '  The  Dumblethwayte  peo 
pie  would  as  soon  think  of  a  year  without  harvest,  as  of  a 
harvest  without  Church.  0  !  and  then  the  best  of  all  is 
the  harvest  supper.  We  have  only  one  farmer,  Mr.  Dorey, 
and  as  soon  as  the  last  load  is  carried,  he  always  gives  a 
supper  to  nearly  all  the  parish,  men  and  women  and  all ! ' 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  89 

'  And  so  you  go  to  see  it?'  said  Kate. 

*  See  !  we  do  more  than  see,  I  assure  you,'  said  Frank, 

*  uncle  Willoughby  has  got  to  say  Grace  for  them  all,  and 
then  we  have  to  cat !  I  can  assure  you  that  Mrs,  Dorey's 
cold  beef,  and  her  cheese,  and  home-brewed,  are  not  to  be 
despised.  And  then  they  drink  the  Queen's  health,  and 
uncle  Willoughby's  and  the  farmer's,  and  then  comes  the 
singing.' 

He  entertained  them  with  imitations  of  some  of  the 
harvest  songs,  which  made  them  almost  weary  with  laugh- 
ing, and  Emmeline  suggested  that  Miss  Townsend  would 
wonder. 

'  Ah ! '  said  Frank,  '  that  poor  little  Suburb  ;  by- 
the-bye,  does  she  never  appear,  or  is  she  imprisoned  up 
stairs  ? ' 

'  We  have  asked  her  to  come  down,  when  we  are  alone 
in  the  evening,  but  she  has  only  done  it  once,'  said  Kate. 

'  And  I  suppose  you  only  asked  her  once,'  said  Frank. 

'  He  means  to  make  us  ask  her  again,'  said  Emmeline. 

*  Bring  her  down,  Kate,  there  is  a  good  girl,'  said 
Frank.  '  I  want  to  see  if  I  can  see  her  without  a  magni- 
fying glass  when  she  is  in  the  same  room.  I  took  her  for 
a  Tom-tit  the  other  day  in  the  garden,  and  very  nearly 
walked  over  her,  expecting  she  would  have  flown  away.' 

'  She  is  not  pert  enough  for  a  tom-tit,'  said  Kate. 

'  But  she  is  just  the  colour  of  one,'  said  Emmeline. 

*  All  pale,  grey,  and  black,  and  straw  colour.' 

'  Come  !  half-a-crown  to  fetch  her  down  ! '  said  Frank. 

'  Will  you  really  give  me  one  if  I  do  ? '  said  Kate. 

'  That  I  will,'  said  Frank,  '  provided  you  fetch  her 
down  diligently  every  time  they  dine  out  to  the  end  of 
the  holidays.  Ah  !  and  I  have  not  done  yet,  provided 
the  half-crown  does  not  go  in  tracts  from  my  long-nosed 
cousins,  the  Miss  Shaws,  and  that  it  does  not  go  to  that 
humbugging  child  that  tells  you  long  stories  about  Mr. 
Brent  being  the  hard-heartedest  of  men,  and  that  it  does 
not  go  to  Mr.  Hunter's  school,  where  they  let  you  teach 
— what  did  you  call  it — great  latitude  1 ' 

'  Then  I  think  it  is  not  worth  having  on  those  condi 
tions,'  said  Kate. 


90  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS, 

'  See,  here  'tis,'  said  Frank,  balancing  it  on  his  finger. 
'  Look,  Kate,  'tis  not  to  be  despised,  a  bran  new  shining 
Victoria  half-crown,  just  as  bright  as  when  it  came  out  of 
the  mint,  save  that  her  Majesty  has  got  a  little  dent  or 
dulness,  or  something,  under  her  ear.  I'll  let  you  off  one 
minute  in  consideration  of  that  dent,  Kate.  There,  'tis 
a  fair  offer,  and  such  as  you  won't  get  many  more  like  it, 
I  assure  you.' 

'  Half-crowns  ?  '  said  Kate.  '  I  could  get  plenty  just 
like  it  any  day.' 

'  Any  day  that  you  happened  to  have  a  sovereign  in 
your  purse,'  said  Frank ;  *  but,  no,  Kate,  no,  you  forget  the 
dent.  That  is  unrivalled,  unequalled,  unsurpassed,  mod- 
elled from  an  original  beauty-spot  on  her  Majesty's  own 
face  !  Think  what  you  throw  away,  Kate,  by  rejecting 
the  original  dent !  a  thing  for  which  you  might  search 
three  hundred  half-crowns  without  finding  the  like,  three- 
sixteenths  of  an  inch  from  the  tip  of  the  nose.  Consider 
it  well,  Kate,  three-sixteenths  of  an  inch  from  the  tip  of 
her  nose  ! '  he  concluded,  impressively. 

'  You  very  absurd  boy,'  said  Kate.  *  Well,  I  must 
try  and  earn  it  if  only  for  the  sake  of  laughing  at  you,  so 
here  I  go  in  search  of  the  Suburb.' 

It  was  not  long  before  Kate  ushered  Miss  Townsond 
into  the  room,  whereupon  the  former  was  greeted  by  Frank 
with  a  patronizing  nod,  and  the  glancing  of  a  little  rim  of 
silver  above  his  waistcoat  pocket. 

After  settling  Miss  Townsond  comfortably,  Emmeline 
and  Frank  pursued  the  subject  they  had  been  talking  of 
when  the  others  entered. 

'  They  are  coming  to  stay  with  us,  you  know,'  said 
Emmeline. 

'  Who  are  ? '  said  Kate. 

'  Mrs.  and  Miss  Willoughby,  Frank's  cousins,'  said 
Emmeline. 

'Are  they?'  said  Frank.  'Is  Juliet  AVilloughby 
coming  ?  Dear  me,  Emmeline  and  Kate,  I  hope  you  can 
talk  Hebrew?' 

'  Why  ?     Is  she  so  very  learned  1 ' 

'  I  tell  you,  Emmeline,  if  learning  can  set  the  Thames 


THE   CASTLE    BUILDERS.  91    . 

on  fire,  Juliet  Willoughby  is  the  woman  to  do  it.  Sho 
talks  Hebrew  and  Arabic  with  Eastern  professors — half 
her  books  begin  at  the  wrong  end,  and  are  all  in  squares, 
and  dashes,  and  ridiculous-looking  letters.  I  expect  every 
day  to  hear  she  is  off  to  Nineveh  to  help  them  to  read 
Nimrod's  private  account-book  and  diary.' 

'  Come,  now,  are  you  talking  sense  or  nonsense  ?' 

'  Never  was  anything  in  this  world  more  true  !  Ask 
uncle  Willoughby,  if  you  won't  believe  me,  if  he  did  not 
give  her  his  Hebrew  liible.  And,  as  to  Greek,  she  could 
hold  a  conversation  with  old  Homer  himself,  it  is  my  be- 
lief, and  set  him  right  if  he  spoke  bad  grammar.' 

'  0  dear  ! '  cried  Emmeline,  '  what  a  formidable  per- 
son !  AVliat  shall  we  do  with  her  ?  Only  I  hope  it  is 
only  one  of  Frank's  figments.' 

'  Ah  !  you  will  see,'  said  Frank.  '  I  suppose  you  know 
at  least  a  little  German,  or  some  Latin.' 

'  German,  yes  ;  though  we  have  not  touched  it  since 
we  left  school.' 

*  Ah,  well !  then  perhaps  she  may  notice  you  a  little. 
But  really,  Emmie,  have  you  never  seen  any  of  Juliet's 
things,  books,  writings — ' 

'  Has  she  really  published  anything  ? '  cried  both 
girls,  in  awe. 

'  0  yes,  she  would  as  soon  publish  as  you  would  sew 
up  a  seam  !  Why,  there  was  a  German  story  she  trans- 
lated, that  they  gave  her  ever  so  much  money  for,  and  she 
has  put  no  end  of  verses  and  stories  in  magazines.  Ah  ! 
you  may  well  look  at  each  other,  Juliet  is  not  a  sight  to 
be  seen  every  day.' 

'  I  should  like  very  much  to  see  her,'  said  Emmeline, 
m  a  tone  of  consternation,  '  just  to  see  her  as  a  sight,  but 
to  have  to  entertain  her !     What  shall  we  do,  Kate  ?  ' 

'  0,  she  will  make  allowances,'  said  Frank. 

'  But  do  tell  me,'  continued  Emmeline,  '  where  are  all 
these  things  that  she  has  written,  and  why  did  we  never 
hear  of  them  before  ?  ' 

Frank  named  the  magazines,  and  one  or  two  of  the 
stories,  and  the  sisters  found  to  their  delight  and  sur- 
Ijrise,  that  they  already  knew  and  liked  them. 


92  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

'  She  is  very  mysterious  about  them,'  said  he,  '  she 
signs  them  with  only  a  J,  for  fear  any  one  should  guess 
them  to  be  hers ;  so  you  must  not  tell  any  living  crea- 
ture ;  I  only  gave  you  a  friendly  hint,  that  you  might 
m5>fc  expose  yourselves\ 

On  they  talked,  much  after  this  fashion,  and  Miss 
Townsend,  meanwhile,  sat  by,  and  often  smiled  at  the 
jokes.  She  did  not  wish  to  be  addressed,  and  was 
happier  thus  looking  on.  The  change  and  refreshment, 
enabled  her  to  resume  her  work  next  morning  far  more 
cheerfully. 


TBF    CASTLE   BUILDERS,  93 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Thus  dost  thou  hear  the  Nomcan  lion  roar 
'Gainst  thee,  poor  lamb,  that  standest  as  his  prey. 
Love's  Labouk  Lost. 

Frank  was  tolerably  civil  to  the  Miss  Shaws,  and  they 
admired  him  vastly,  but  he  always  got  out  of  their  way 
as  far  as  he  could,  and  used  to  make  great  fun  of  their 
complimentary  sjDeeches  as  soon  as  he  was  alone  with 
the  girls.  Emmeline  used  to  grow  angry,  and  contend 
that  they  were  perfectly  sincere  in  their  flattery. 

'  So  much  the  worse  for  you,'  said  Frank. 

'  Why  ?  ' 

'  Of  course  you  are  not  so  stupid  but  that  you  would 
find  them  out  if  they  did  not  really  mean  it,  let  them 
do  it  ever  so  naturally  but  as  they  think  it  all  true,  you 
can't  help  believing  it.' 

'  I  am  sure,  whoever  flatters,  Frank  does  not,'  said 
Kate,  laughing.  '  He  might  walk  into  the  palace  of  truth 
any  day,  and  never  be  diflerent  for  one  moment.' 

'  No,'  said  Emmeline,  '  I  almost  think  he  would  begin 
to  pay  compliments.' 

Frank  turned  an  old  face  upon  Emmeline,  as  if  she 
had  detected  him. 

About  this  time,  Frank,  while  going  down  among  the 
fishermen  to  try  to  get  some  shells,  sea-eggs,  &c.,  for 
the  decoration  of  the  tower,  met  with  a  sad  case  of  dis- 
tress— a  sick  man,  and  a  number  of  wretched-looking 
small  children,  without  a  mother. 


94  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

'  The  girls'  feelings  were  excited,  and  they  were  eager 
to  apply  immediately  to  all  the  various  funds  managed  by 
the  Miss  Shaws,  for  the  garments  which  they  had  to  make 
up  were  not  theirs  to  give ;  moreover,  they  had  none  fin- 
ished, not  having  worked  with  nearly  as  much  alacrity  as 
at  first. 

But  as  soon  as  Frank  found  that  the  house  stood  in 
Mr.  Brent's  district  he  announced  his  intention  of  speak- 
ing to  him  about  it. 

'  Speaking  to  him  !  Why,  you  don't  know  him,'  said 
Emmeline. 

'  Yes,  I  do,  my  father  introduced  me  one  day  when  we 
met  him  in  the  street,  and  I  have  had  a  few  words  with 
him  several  times  since.' 

'  How  can  that  be  ?  I  have  never  seen  you  meet  him, 
and  you  are  not  out  often  alone.' 

'  He  has  spoken  to  me  two  or  three  times,'  said 
Frank. 

'  But  I  assure  you  it  will  be  of  no  use,'  said  Kate. 
'  Miss  Penelope — now  don't  laugh,  Frank — Miss  Pene- 
lope says  all  the  good  they  can  do  in  this  district  is  by 
stealth.' 

*  We  shall  only  be  prevented  from  doing  anything,' 
said  Emmeline. 

'  Yes,  Frank,  now  don't,'  said  Kate.  '  The  committee 
will  never  give  them  anything  if  they  find  we  have  been 
in  communication  with  Mr.  Brent  about  them.' 

'  And  then  Miss  Penelope  says  what  a  sad  thing  party 
spirit  is,'  said  Frank. 

'  Hush,  now,'  said  Kate,  '  here  comes  Sir  Francis.' 

Emmeline,  however,  took  Frank  in  hand,  and  really 
thought  she  had  persuaded  him  that  an  application  to  Mr. 
Brent  would  be  followed  by  a  rebuke  for  having  dared  to 
look  into  a  cottage. 

Next  morning,  however,  when  she  came  down  to 
breakfast,  she  found  Frank  in  the  dining-room  before  her, 
looking  triumphant. 

'  Well,  Emmie,  Mr.  Brent  is  writing  an  order  for  the 
man  to  be  taken  to  the  hospital,  and  a  cart  will  come  for 
him  in  an  hour's  time.' 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  95 

'  Mr.  -Brent ! '  Emmeliuc  stood  aghast ;  '  wlicn  could 
you  have  seen  him  ?  ' 

'  This  morning,'  said  Frank.  '  I  waited  for  him  when 
he  came  out  of  Church.' 

'  Have  you  been  to  Church  this  morning  ?  Surely 
not.     It  is  at  seven  o'clock  ! ' 

'  To  be  sure,'  said  Frank,  '  why  should  not  I  ?  What 
is  the  good  of  lying  in  bed  on  such  fine  summer  mornings 
as  these  ? ' 

'  You  don't  mean  to  say  that  you  generally  go  !  ' 

'  Of  course  I  do.  If  I  have  got  to  go  at  half-past  six 
at  school,  I  think  I  may  go  at  seven  at  home.' 

'  But  about  the  poor  man  ?  '  said  Kate  ;  '  and  what 
did  you  say  to  move  Mr.  Brent  ?  ' 

'  I  told  him  the  state  in  which  I  found  him,  and  it 
seems  that  he  knew  all  about  him  before.  He  had  tried 
to  make  the  man  send  the  children  to  school  in  vain,  for 
he  is  a  hardened,  heathenish  sort  of  fellow  ;  but  the  ill- 
ness came  on  suddenly,  and  the  poor  children  are  too 
young  to  know  who  to  apply  to.' 

'  What  did  he  do  ?  ' 

'  He  walked  with  me  to  the  place,  and  saw  the  state 
of  things  ;  he  settled  it  all  in  a  minute ;  the  man  is  to  go 
to  the  hospital,  and  he  knows  of  a  good  old  woman 
who  will  take  care  of  the  children.  Then  I  told  him' — 
Frank  looked  archly  at  the  girls  as  if  he  doubted  how 
they  would  approve,  '  that  I  had  two  sisters  with  a  great 
deal  of  energy  running  to  waste,  who  would  be  very  glad 
to  make  little  coats  and  things  for  the  children,  and  ho 
said  it  would  be  doing  a  great  kindness,  and  he  should  be 
very  much  obliged  to  you.' 

'  You  did  not  really  give  that  account  of  us  ! ' 

'  Is  not  it  true  ? '  said  Frank,  and  they  were  obliged 
to  take  this  reply  for  want  of  a  better  answer. 

In  the  space  of  a  week  they  completed  sundy  gar- 
ments, the  interest  which  Frank  took  in  their  progress 
keeping  them  steadily  to  it,  though  their  ardour  for  the 
poor  was  on  the  wane.  It  had  been  a  fancy  and  not  a 
principle,  and  as  the  disagreeables  made  themselves  more 
felt,  it  ceased  to  engross  Emmeline's  mind,  and  her  old 
weariness  be2;an  to  ensue. 


96  THE    CASTLE   BUILDERS. 

Still  they  went  to  the  school,  where  they  had  for  some 
time  been  making  a  point  of  the  Church  Catechism.  By 
rewards  and  praises,  Emmeline  had  obtained  of  her  class 
its  perfect  repetition,  and  now,  with  the  help  of  questions 
caught  from  Mr.  Brent's  catechizings  in  Church,  and  with 
recollections  of  the  teachings  of  her  own  earlier  days,  she 
was  endeavouring  to  instruct  the  children  in  its  meaning. 
It  brought  out  various  thoughts  with  regard  to  her  Con- 
firmation ;  she  began  to  learn  that  the  life  of  a  child  is  its 
preparation  for  that  solemn  vow  and  blessing,  and  while 
she  taught  her  scholars  to  look  forward  to  it,  she  more 
than  once  felt  sincere  regret  for  her  own  neglect. 

A  good  many  people  used  to  walk  in  and  out  of  the 
school ;  all  the  committee  were  privileged ;  and  there  were 
many  teachers  on  the  same  terms  as  our  heroines,  besides 
visitors,  and  people  who  came  to  speak  to  the  school- 
mistress about  work.  They  generally  went  to  the  mis- 
tress's throne  of  office,  or  else  to  some  unemployed  class, 
and  Emmeline  had  learnt  not  to  heed  them,  and  to 
have  no  eyes  for  anything  beyond  her  own  square  of 
girls. 

One  day,  however,  when  she  was  in  the  midst  of  ques- 
tioning on  the  Catechism,  she  was  startled  by  a  short  dry 
cough  of  disapprobation  close  behind  her,  and  looking  up, 
saw  a  tall  thin  gentleman  in  black,  with  rather  grey  curl- 
ing hair,  a  long  narrow  face,  and  a  solemn  expression, 
standing  near  her  chair. 

Annoyed  and  confused,  she  found  it  impossible  to  go 
on.  She  waited  a  moment,  expecting  the  stranger  to 
apologize  and  depart,  but  as  he  did  no  such  thing,  she 
shut  up  her  book,  and,  with  Kate,  left  the  school  very  in- 
dignant, though  they  did  not  divulge  the  adventure  for 
fear  Frank  should  triumph  over  them. 

A  day  or  two  after  the  Miss  Shaws  called  upon  them, 
and  ]\^ss  Penelope,  in  rather  a  mysterious  manner,  asked 
Emmeline  to  take  a  walk  in  the  garden  with  her. 

'  My  dear  Miss  Berners,  you  will  forgive  me,'  said 
she.  '  You  know  how  grateful  we  are  for  your  assistance 
in  the  school,  but  you  must  allow  me  just  to  make  one 
little  suggestion.     I  am  sure  you  mean  it  all  most  rightly, 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  97 

but  people  talk  about  it.     Could  you  not  dwell  rather  less 
on  the  Church  Catechism  ?  ' 

Emmeline  started.  '  I  thought,'  said  she,  '  that  it  was 
one  of  the  chief  things  to  be  taught.' 

'  My  dear,  I  say  nothing  against  the  Catechism  itself, 
it  is  a  most  admirable  compilation,  but  you  know  it  has 
been  made  so  much  a  badge  of  party,  and  people 
talk—' 

'  But  what  do  they  say  ?  '  asked  Emmeline,  in  a  maze 
of  surprise,  perplexity  and  displeasure. 

'  0,  my  dear  Miss  Emmeline,  people  will  say  things  ; 
they  remark  on  your  dwelling  so  much  on  that  and  noth- 
ing else,  and  some  of  the  children's  parents  are  Dissenters, 
and  have  scruples  about  their  learning  it.  Indeed,  I 
think  you  had  better  adopt  some  other  line. 

G-entle  as  Emmeline  was,  she  never  felt  less  persuada- 
ble, perhaps  from  a  secret  conviction  that  this  must  be  a 
result  of  the  spying  of  last  Thursday's  visitor.  '  What 
can  people  have  to  remark  ? '  said  she.  '  We  taught  the 
Catechism  because  no  one  else  seemed  to  do  so,  and  you 
told  us  we  might  teach  what  we  pleased.' 

'  Yes,  yes,  my  dear,  I  am  sure  it  is  a  good  thing,  only 
it  has  become  a  badge  of  party,  and — and — there  is  your 
connexion  with  Lord  Herbert  Somerville,  whose  views 
are  so  well  known.  I  hope  you  will  not  be  vexed  with 
me,  my  dear,  but  I  thought  it  would  be  as  well  just  to 
give  you  a  hint ;  I  do  so  dread  anything  of  party  spirit.' 

'  If  you  would  but  tell  me  what  Lord  Herbert  Somer- 
ville can  possibly  have  to  do  with  it.'  said  Emmeline, 
growing  very  angry  and  very  formal. 

'  Ah  !  my  dear  girl,  how  I  envy  your  sweet  innocence 
of  party.  I  would  not  say  a  word  against  Lord  Herbert 
for  the  world,  only  every  one  knows  what  a  high  Church, 
intolerant  part,  his  family  have  always  taken.' 

'  I  know  where  the  intolerance  is  now,'  thought 
Emmeline  to  herself;  but  she  let  Miss  Penelope  go  on 
as  far  as  '  Mr.  Denham — '  before  her  schooled  manners 
gave  way,  and  she  interrupted  her  by  saying,  'Was 
that  Mr.  Denham  that  came  and  listened  to  me  last 
Thursday  ? ' 

5 


98  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

*  My  dear,  you  must  not  bo  annoyed — 1  am  sure  you 
have  too  much  good  sense — ' 

'  I  disliked  it  very  much  indeed,'  said  Eiameline.  '  I 
cannot  think  how  he  could  do  such  a  thing.' 

'  Ah !  your  retiring  nature,  which  would  shrink  from 
observation,  my  dear ;  I  can  quite  sympathize  with  you  ; 
but  you  must  consider  what  an  interest  good  Mr.  Denham 
takes  in  the  school.' 

Emmeline's  cheeks  were  tingling  all  over,  and  the 
more  smoothly  Miss  Penelope  spoke,  the  more  agitated 
and  irritated  she  grew.  Yet  her  former  life  had  been  a 
good  discipline  in  exterior  politeness,  and  she  spoke  with 
more  calmness  and  civility  towards  Miss  Penelope  than 
many  other  girls  would  have  done,  whose  self-command 
was  more  the  effect  of  principle  and  less  of  habit.  Her 
voice  scarcely  altered  from  its  usual  rather  constrained 
company  tones,  as  she  said,  '  I  am  afraid  I  cannot  look 
upon  it  as  you  do.  It  was  exceedingly  unpleasant  to  me 
to  find  myself  overlooked  the  other  day ;  and  I  cannot 
think  it  is  treating  me  properly  to  spy  me  out  and  then 
complain  of  me.  If  Mr.  Denham  was  the  Clergyman  of 
the  parish,  he  would  have  some  right  to  inquire  into  my 
teaching,  and  I  should  not  complain,  but  I  do  not  con- 
sider that  he  has  any  authority.' 

'  You  forget  he  is  on  the  committee,'  said  Miss  Penel- 
ope, hastily  interposing. 

This  was  Emmeline's  weak  point ;  she  had  sought 
sanction  from  the  committee  instead  of  from  the  Church, 
and,  sensibly  as  she  had  spoken,  her  argument  failed ; 
but  in  the  heat  of  the  moment  she  did  not  feel  it,  and 
took  up  another  point.  '  Surely,  he  has  not  been  com- 
plaining of  me  to  the  committee.' 

'  0  no,  no,'  said  Miss  Penelope ;  '  you  do  not  know 
how  much  consideration  good  Mr.  Denham  has.  Indeed, 
you  do  not  do  him  justice.' 

'  Certainly,'  said  Emmeline,  '  I  should  like  to  know 
what  he  could  complain  of !  I  don't  know  how  long  ho 
thought  proper  to  listen  to  me,  but  I  am  quite  certain  he 
heard  nothing  that  was  not  the  right  teaching,  in  which  I 
have  always  been  brought  up.     But  it  is  of  no  use  to 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  99 

talk  over  it  any  longer ;  I  shall  never  be  able  to  teach 
at  all,  unless  I  may  do  so  freely,  and  without  being 
listened  to  and  remarked  upon ;  and  I  cannot  believe  but 
that  the  Church  Catechism  ought  to  be  taught  and 
explained.' 

'  0  dear !  0  dear !  how  badly  I  have  managed,'  ex- 
claimed poor  good  little  Miss  Penelope ;  '  how  I  do  wish 
Maria  had  been  here  to  help  me  !  Now  I  have  vexed 
you,  and  made  you  angry  with  poor  Mr.  Denham,  when  I 
meant  to  have  set  it  all  straight !  Oh  dear  !  how  silly  of 
me  to  try  to  do  anything  alone  !  If  Maria  had  but  been 
here,  it  would  have  been  all  right ! ' 

It  was  impossible  to  be  angry  with  Miss  Penelope,  at 
any  rate,  and  Emmeline  could  not  help  smiling,  as  she 
said,  cordially,  '  I  am  sure  you  meant  every  thing  kind, 
and  I  am  very  much  obliged  to  you,  indeed  I  am.' 

'  Are  you  sure,  quite  sure  ? '  said  the  good  lady.  '  Yes, 
I  see  that  sweet  face  quite  forgives  my  silly  mismanage- 
ment ;  I  was  sure  your  good  sense  would  see  it  so.  And 
you  will  not  take  it  amiss  of  poor  Mr.  Denham  ;  he  would 
be  quite  grieved,  I  am  sure,  to  know  that  you  felt  an- 
noyed ;  it  would  hurt  him  very  much.  And  you  will  not 
dwell  so  much  on  the  Catechism  ?  It  does  you  harm  with 
several  people ;  I  do  assure  you  it  does,  my  dear,  though 
you  might  not  imagine  it.' 

Emmeline  had  been  much  softened  at  first,  but  she 
could  not  forgive  Mr.  Denham,  and  grew  harder  at  the 
mention  of  his  name.  She  heartily  wished  the  conversa- 
tion at  an  end,  and  happily  she  had  only  time  to  say,  *  I 
cannot  think  Mr.  Denham  has  used  me  well,'  before  Sir 
Francis  and  his  eldest  son  appeared  at  the  other  end  of 
the  walk.  The  Miss  Shaws  soon  after  took  their  leave, 
Miss  Penelope  saying,  as  she  shook  hands  with  Emmeline, 
'  I  have  more  to  say  to  you,  my  dear ;  I  am  sure  I  shall 
bring  you  round.'  Then,  nodding  at  her,  at  the  door,  she 
disappeared. 

Then,  out  it  all  came.  Emmeline  was  much  too  ex- 
cited and  angry  not  to  impart  her  indignation,  and  Sir 
Francis  and  Lady  Willoughby  fully  shared  it,  to  say  noth- 
ing of  Kate,  her  other  self     As  to  Frank,  he  sat  by  in  a 


100  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

state  of  the  most  provokingly  mischievous  delight  and 
triumph,  making  indications  of  clapping  his  hands  at  the 
relation  of  each  affront  that  Emmeline  had  received  ;  and 
whenever  she  told  of  any  particularly  silly  speech  of  Miss 
Penelope,  exclaiming,  in  a  low  voice,  '  Bravo  ! ' 

'  I  am  sure,'  said  Lady  Willoughby,  '  I  can't  guess 
what  they  can  mean.  I  am  sure  when  I  was  last  in  Eng- 
land, I  used  to  hear  of  nothing  but  teaching  poor  children 
the  Catechism.     I  was  quite  sick  of  it.' 

'  It  is  that  Denham,  a  low,  Methodistical  sort  of  a 
fellow,'  said  Sir  Francis,  *  only  too  glad  to  be  impertinent 
to  a  lady  when  he  has  the  opportunity ;  'tis  he  that  is  at 
the  bottom  of  it.  I  should  only  be  glad  to  kick  him  down 
stairs  this  minute.' 

'  Poor,  dear  Mr.  Denham  ! '  softly  murmured  Frank, 
'  how  ill  Mr.  Brent  used  him  ! ' 

*  You  won't  go  to  school  again  after  this,  my  dears,' 
said  Lady  Willoughby. 

'  No,  surely  ;  not  if  they  give  you  no  more  thanks  than 
this,'  said  Sir  Francis. 

'  Why,  mamma,'  said  Emmeline,  '  I  should  not  much 
like  to  fly  off  upon  an  affront,  as  if  we  were  angry  with 
every  one.' 

'  0  no,  certainly  not,'  added  Kate,  '  we  must  show  we 
are  not  displeased  with  the  Shaws,  or  Mr.  Hunter,  or  any 
of  the  others.' 

'  Besides,  as  I  told  Miss  Penelope,'  said  Emmeline, 
'  I  don't  see  what  right  Mr.  Denham  has  to  interfere  !  I 
should  like  to  go  on  teaching  the  Catechism  in  spite  of 
him.' 

'  Well  done,  Emmie,  there  spoke  a  girl  of  spirit ! ' 
said  Sir  Francis.  'But  I  must  say,  I  would  have  no 
more  to  do  with  them ;  let  them  settle  their  affairs  their 
own  way  ;  you  have  plenty  of  better  things  to  do  ;  and  it 
is  my  maxim,  never  to  do  what  there  is  nothiPxg  to  be 
gained  by,  not  even  thanks.' 

*  But  the  poor  children,'  said  Kate,  '  no  one  will  teach 
it  to  them  at  all  if  we  do  not.' 

'  0,  they  will  learn  it  somehow,'  said  Lady  Willoughby. 
'  Indeed,  my  dear,  it  will  only  be  exposing  yourself  to 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  101 

more  of  this  man's  impertinence,  and  I  can't  bear  you 
should  shut  yourself  up  all  the  afternoon  in  the  hot  room 
with  those  dirty  children.     Emmie  looks  quite  pale  after 

'  The  room  is  not  at  all  hot,  mamma,'  exclaimed  both 
girls  ;  and  the  more  they  were  persuaded  to  give  up  their 
attendance  at  school,  the  more  resolute  they  grew  in 
pleading  for  its  continuance. 

'  Give  it  up  !  No,  never ! '  said  Emmelinc,  with  a  sort 
of  would-be  martyr  look,  as  soon  as  she  had  Kate  to  her- 
self. 

'  Never,'  echoed  Kate,  '  it  would  be  giving  up  our 
principles.' 

'  Yes ;  and  think  of  the  influence  it  must  have  upon 
all  the  school,  to  see  how  important  we  think  it,  and  how 
steadily  we  keep  to  it.' 

'  It  is  not  like  some  trumpery  question-book,  to  be 
taken  up  one  week,  and  thrown  aside  the  next,'  said  Kate; 
'  it  is  something  to  hold  fast  and  value.' 

'  Yes  ;  and  we  will  show  them  our  value  for  it,'  said 
Emmeline.  '  Committee,  and  children,  and  all,  shall  see 
that  we  think  the  Catechism  no  badge  of  party,  but  the 
watch-word  of  the  English  Church.  I  dare  say  this  con- 
troversy about  it  will  make  the  children  value  it  all  the 
more.' 

'  The  children  are  so  fond  of  you,  they  will  love  it  for 
your  sake,'  said  Kate  ;  '  that  little  Mary  Parsons,  her 
mother  told  Miss  Shaw  the  other  day,  she  would  do  any- 
thing for  her  dear  teacher.  Miss  Emma  Line.' 

'  Sweet  child,'  said  Emmeline,  smiling.  '  Yes,  Kate, 
our  names  shall  go  on  in  their  imaginations  coupled  with 
the  Catechism ;  and  how  do  we  know  ?  perhaps  it  may 
bring  back  some  of  these  Dissenters  to  the  Church,  if  they 
really  do  love  us.' 

'  Frank  would  laugh  at  us,  if  we  gave  it  up,'  said 
Kate. 

'  Frank  laughs  at  whatever  we  'do,'  said  Emmeline. 
'  Though,  certainly  after  this,  it  is  impossible  not  to  allow 
that  Mr.  Brent  was  justified  in  turning  Mr.  Denham  out. 
Kate,  the  enmity  of  such  a  man  is  an  honor  ! ' 


102  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

And  Emracline's  happiness  was  extreme  all  that  even 
ing,  and  the  next  morning,  in  the  belief  that  she  was  per- 
secuted ;  and  she  treated  Frank's  raillery  about  Mr. 
Brent,  and  poor  dear  Mr.  Dcnham,  with  a  magnificent 
superiority  that  was  quite  edifying. 

In  the  middle  of  the  day  she  received  a  note,  four 
sheets  of  small,  closely  written  note  paper,  from  Miss 
Penelope  Shaw. 

The  first  page  was  taken  up  in  lamentations  on  the 
little  lady's  part  that  she  had  not  managed  matters  better 
in  their  interview;  then  followed  a  warm  panegyric  on 
Mr.  Denham,  declaring  that  no  one  could  have  been  fur- 
ther from  any  thought  of  annoying  her  ;  next  came  a  dis- 
sertation on  party  spirit  and  the  Catechism,  so  mixed 
together  in  a  double  parenthesis,  that  it  would  have  re- 
quired numerous  commentaries  before  it  could  be  guessed 
what  was  the  meaning ;  and  after  they  had  both  read  it 
separately,  besides  going  over  it  together,  the  sisters  really 
could  not  tell,  whether  Miss  Penelope  would  have  them 
continue  the  Catechism  or  not.  The  sting  was,  however, 
in  the  tail,  and  that  was  an  assurance  that  rather  than  be 
supposed  to  have  any  thought  of  annoying  Miss  Berners, 
Miss  Penelope  would  induce  Mr.  Denham  to  tell  her  so 
in  person,  and  make  the  fullest  apology.  Indeed,  she  had 
not  a  doubt  that  he  would,  of  his  own  accord,  take  the 
earliest  opportunity  of  so  doing. 

The  scream  of  dismay  with  which  Emmeline  beheld 
the  sentence  betrayed  her  to  Frank,  who  had  been  watch- 
ing her  face,  and  he  immediately  proceeded  to  act  both 
Mr.  Denham's  apology  and  her  manner  of  receiving  it,  so 
absurdly,  that,  vexed  as  she  was,  it  was  beyond  her  powers 
not  to  laugh.  He  was  urgent  to  be  allowed  to  see  the 
note,  but  she  would  not  have  it  laughed  at,  and  carried 
it  up  stairs  to  meditate  upon  the  answer,  and  to  try  to 
make  out  the  meaning,  a  task  at  least  as  difl&cult  as  the 
translation  of  the  German  sentence,  and  possibly  for  the 
same  reason. 

To  face  Mr.  Denham  and  endure  his  apology  was 
above  all,  not  to  be  thought  of,  and  therefore  she  must 
express  her  forgiveness ;  but  still  there  was  no  certainty 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  103 

that  lie  miglit  Dot  cliooso  to  apologize  after  all,  and,  as 
Emmeline  and  Kate  agreed,  nothing  could  put  them  in  a 
more  unpleasant  predicament.  It  was  wonderful,  now 
that  the  opposition  seemed  to  have  died  away,  how  their 
vehement  desire  for  going  to  school  was  fading.  Mr.  Den- 
ham's  apology  frightened  them  a  hundred  times  more  than 
Lis  '  enmity,  and  all  Emmeline  felt  was  a  desire  to  find 
an  excuse  for  keeping  out  of  both  his  and  Miss  Penelope's 
way  till  it  was  all  forgotten. 

Fortune  favoured  her,  for  before  many  hours  had 
passed,  a  letter  arrived  fixing  next  Wednesday  for  Mrs. 
and  Miss  Willoughby's  visit ;  and  as  they  were  expected 
to  stay  a  fortnight,  this  was  exactly  the  break  which  Em- 
meline wanted,  and  she  almost  forgot  to  tremble  at  Miss 
Willoughby's  acquirements,  in  the  relief  at  the  oppor- 
tuneness of  her  coming. 

It  was  much  easier  now  to  write  her  note,  which  Kate 
thought  an  excellent  piece  of  diplomacy,  as  it  ignored  the 
Catechism  altogether,  and  only  expressed  great  thanks  to 
Miss  Penelope,  hopes  that  attendance  at  school  would 
only  be  interrupted  for  a  very  short  time,  and  a  very 
strong  and  repeated  entreaty  that  not  a  word  might  be 
said  to  Mr.  Denham  that  would  lead  him  to  think  an 
apology  would  be  otherwise  than  very  unpleasant.  And 
so  she  sent  school  affairs  entirely  out  of  her  mind  for  the 
present ;  and,  whenever  she  was  not  amused  by  Frank, 
was  a  prey  to  her  old  yawning  dissatisfied  fits. 


104  THE    CASTLE   BUILDERS. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


Hast  thou  seen  that  lordly  castle — 

That  castle  by  the  sea  ? 
Golden  and  red  above  it, 
The  clouds  float  gorgeously. 

Uhland,  (Longfellow.) 


Reports  of  Juliet  Willoughby's  learning  and  clever- 
ness preceded  her,  alarming  Lady  Willougbby  even  more 
than  her  daughters. 

She  summoned  her  '  dear  boy,'  Frank,  and  asked  a 
description  of  these  much-feared  powers.  He  was  much 
more  sober  in  his  delineations  than  when  with  the  young 
ladies ;  and  it  only  appeared  that  Juliet  was  very  clever, 
understood  more  modern  and  ancient  tongues  than  most 
young  ladies,  dabbled  in  one  or  two  more,  and  had  made 
and  published  sundry  translations,  as  well  as  original 
verses,  and  stories. 

This  was  so  far  satisfactory,  that  the  girls  were  sure 
they  knew  the  worst.  Lady  Willougbby  thanked  Heaven 
that  she  had  daughters  to  take  the  brunt  of  entertaining 
the  stranger,  and  Sir  Francis  laughed,  and  said  he  had  no 
doubt  but  that  his  little  Katie  would  be  a  match  for  any 
one  ;  whereupon  Kate  felt  much  and  sincerely  distressed 
that  he  would  always  take  her  for  the  clever  one. 

By  way  of  further  preparations,  the  magazines  con- 
taining Juliet's  contributions  were  brought  out.  Sir 
Francis  looked  at  their  names,  while  Lady  Willougbby 
desired  to  have  them  read  to  her,  and  she  had  slept  through 
three-quarters  of  the  first,  before  the  day  which  was  to 
bring  the  visitors.     Then  came  a  difference  of  opinion ; 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS,  105 

she  was  for  letting  tlie  said  magazines  lie  on  the  table  to 
receive  their  author,  while  Emmeline  could  not  bear  tliat 
they  should  have  the  air  of  being  set  out  on  purpose  ;  and 
Kate  at  last  proposed  that  all  should  be  put  away  except 
the  last  number,  which  would  look  just  as  if  they  were 
only  taking  it  in  regularly. 

At  length  the  young  lady  and  her  mother  arrived, 
neither  of  them  looking  in  the  least  distinguished  or  re- 
markable. And  the  eyes  of  the  sisters  only  beheld  a 
quiet-looking  person,  well-featured,  but  of  a  muddy  com- 
plexion, and  with  eyes  and  lips  which  had  a  good  deal 
of  expression  in  them,  though  surface  observers  did  not 
readily  find  it  out.  She  was  just  above  twenty,  but  looked 
younger,  for  her  figure  was  girlish,  and  she  had  the  air  of 
depending  on  her  mother  for  protection. 

She  and  Frank  seemed  very  glad  to  meet,  and  he  was 
the  only  person  who  looked  perfectly  at  his  ease  as  they 
all  sat  round  in  the  formal  circle  of  the  newly  arrived ' 
and  though  he  did  not  say  much,  he  now  and  then  rubbed 
his  hands  together  with  a  certain  mischievous  glance  of 
triumphant  fun.  At  last  Lady  Willoughby  proceeded  to 
conduct  Mrs.  Willoughby  to  her  room ;  Juliet's  was  up 
another  flight  of  stairs,  and  therefore  she  was  consigned 
to  the  care  of  Emmeline  and  Kate. 

Up  they  went,  Emmeline  first,  very  well  behaved,  very 
polite,  and  very  nervous  ;  she  ushered  Miss  Willoughby 
into  the  room,  but  the  next  moment  company-manners 
were  suddenly  disconcerted,  as  all  three,  with  one  voice 
exclaimed,  '  What  is  that  ?  ' 

On  the  state  pincushion  upon  the  toilet-table  waved  a 
huge  piece  of  orange-coloured  paper,  of  the  form  and  tint 
of  a  hand-bill,  covered  with  enormous  letters,  setting  forth, 
in  all  the  varieties  of  type,  ridiculously  thick,  and  ridicu- 
lously thin,  that,  on  the  fourth  instant,  at  8  p.  m.,  a  Lec- 
ture would  be  given  at  the  Town  Hall,  Herringsby,  on  the 
Sanscrit,  illustrated  by  the  Ramjonnybunveda,  by  the  cel- 
ebrated professor,  Miss  Juliet  VVilloughby,  F.  8.  B.  S. 

It  would  be  hard  to  say  which  predominated  with  the 
two  sisters,  diversion  or  consternation.  Emmeline  could 
not  speak  at  all ;  Kate  made  various  exclamations ;  Julict'a 


106  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS, 

colour  rose,  but  she  laughed  heartily,  crying  out,  '  Oh  ! 
that  wretch,  Frank  ! ' 

'  Indeed,  we  had  not  an  idea  what  he  was  doing,'  said 
Kate. 

'  Indeed,  wo  are  very  sorry,'  said  Emmeline,  feeling 
very  guilty. 

'  I  don't  know  what  you  have  to  be  sorry  for,'  said 
Juliet.  '  I  know  Mr.  Frank  of  old,  and  don't  mind  his 
tricks.  What  a  boy  he  is,  to  be  sure ! '  added  she,  exam- 
ining the  elaborate  lettering. 

'  Now  I  know  what  he  borrowed  the  Indian  ink  for,' 
said  Emmeline.  '  I  could  not  think  what  he  was  doing  in 
his  own  room  the  last  two  days  ! ' 

'  I  saw  some  mischief  was  in  his  head,'  said  Juliet. 
'  Certainly  it  is  lucky  that  all  his  jokes  are  good-natured, 
for  there  is  no  end  of  them.' 

'  Does  he  often  practise  them  on  you  ?  '  said  Kate,  with 
an  intonation  of  respect,  and  at  the  same  time  of  great  sur- 
prise, for  Frank  had  somehow  made  them  fancy  that  he 
was  as  much  afraid  of  Juliet  as  they  were. 

'  Play  me  tricks  ?  yes,  the  rogue,  that  he  does,  for  ever,' 
said  Juliet.     *  Does  he  not  with  you? ' 

'  0,  yes,'  said  Emmeline,  smiling  at  the  recollection, 
and  perceiving  that  Miss  Willoughby  would  think  it  rather 
a  dishonour  that  Frank  should  not  think  her  worth  play- 
ing tricks  on.  '  But  come,  Kate,  we  are  hindering  Miss 
Willoughby's  dressing.' 

So,  after  due  politeness,  the  sisters  withdrew.  Juliet 
and  her  mother  were  full  early  in  coming  down,  and  only 
Sir  Francis  and  Frank  were  in  the  drawing-room. 

'  0,  Frank !  I  have  such  a  scolding  for  you ! '  said 
Juliet,  fastening  on  him,  and  drawing  him,  nothing  loth, 
into  a  window,  out  of  hearing. 

'  What,  did  not  I  make  the  letters  big  enough  ? '  said 
Frank. 

'  But  what  absurd  accounts  have  you  been  giving  of 
m«  ?  Oh !  Frank,  I  see,  you  have  been  saying  all  sorts  of 
monstrous  things !  ' 

'  Never  mind,  Juliet,  your  presence  will  undeceive 
every  body.' 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  107 

'  Yes,  especially  when  you  take  delight  in  making  me 
look  foolish.  And  now,  Frank,  do  be  obliging,  and  tell  mo 
a  little  about  them — your — I  mean  those  girls,  the  Miss 
Berners.' 

'  My  opinion  goes  for  nothing,  when  you  have  made  up 
your  own  already,'  said  Frank. 

'  Have  I — how  do  you  know  I  have  ?  ' 

'  By  the  way  you  said  those  girls.' 

'  "Well,  I  will  tell  you  what  I  think,  and  you  shall  say 
if  I  am  right.     They  are  school-girls.' 

'  Did  you  know  that  before,  or  find  it  out  now  ? ' 

'  I  saw  it  from  the  way  in  which  they  carry  their 
elbows.  Favourable  specimens,  though,  are  not  they?  but 
drilled,  like  Russian  soldiers,  out  of  all  individuality  of 
mind  or  manner.     Eh,  Frank  ?  ' 

'  That's  very  grand,'  said  Frank. 

'  Don't  pretend  not  to  understand,  'tis  an  answer 
I  want ;  I  want  to  know  what  to  talk  to  them  about ; 
must  I  stop  short  at — do  you  ride  ?  and  do  you  draw  ?  or 
may  I  go  on  to  books  ? ' 

'  Ask  them  how  they  like  the  Knight  of  the  Silver 
Crescent,'  said  Frank. 

'  Now,  Frank,  you  have  not  told  them  about  that,  I 
hope ! '  exclaimed  Juliet,  colouring,  in  very  decided  un- 
feigned annoyance ;  then  relieved,  '  0,  no,  I  see  you  have 
not,  you  only  tried  to  frighten  me.' 

Emmeline  and  Kate  at  this  moment  came  in^  dressed 
alike,  their  hair  sitting  exactly  in  the  same  manner,  and 
their  arms  held  in  precisely  the  same  position.  Emmeline, 
thinking  the  mother  the  least  formidable,  placed  herself 
where  she  might  be  talked  to  by  her.  Kate  went  towards 
Miss  Willoughby  and  Frank,  and  with  more  manner  than  Ju- 
liet possessed,  began  to  make  talk  about  the  pretty  country. 

Juliet  answered  readily,  and  they  began  to  get  on  well 
together ;  in  fact,  before  they  went  in  to  dinner,  Juliet  had 
made  up  her  mind  that  Kate  had  some  information  and 
some  originality.  But  after  dinner  it  so  chanced  that 
Emmeline  fell  to  Juliet's  share,  and  in  the  course  of  the 
talk,  she  made  three  or  four  of  the  very  same  remarks  that 
had  previously  been  made  by  Kate,  and  Juliet  went  to  bed 


108  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

■wondering  whether  Emmeline  borrowed  from  Kate,  or 
Kate  from  Emmeline. 

The  girls,  on  their  side,  began  to  find  their  fear  of  Miss 
Willoughby  wearing  off.  She  appeared  so  much  less  ha- 
bituated to  society  than  they  were,  that  it  seemed  to 
diminish  the  distance  between  them.  It  was  not  awkward- 
ness, nor  was  it  any  deficiency  in  good  breeding,  but  there 
was  a  bashfulness  about  her,  and  a  reliance  on  her  mother 
for  taking  the  lead,  that  made  her  seem  to  be  younger  than 
her  real  age,  and  struck  them  as  very  strange  in  a  person 
of  such  undeniable  cleverness;  a  little  abruptness,  too, 
when  she  did  speak,  which  was  so  unlike  the  demeanour  to 
which  they  had  been  trained  at  Miss  Danby's,  or  had  seen 
in  the  manners  of  Lady  Frances  Somerville,  that  it  sur- 
prised and  almost  confused  them. 

The  demure  good  behaviour  of  all  parties  continued 
for  the  space  of  breakfast-time  next  morning,  after  which 
Emmeline  rather  timidly  proposed  a  stroll  in  the  garden. 
They  were  parading  together,  when  Frank  suddenly  burst 
upon  them  in  this  manner, '  Upon  my  word,  I  am  delighted 
to  see  a  meeting  of — what  is  it — what  is  the  word  ?  help 
me,  Emmie,  or  you,  Mrs.  Romeo — a  meeting  of  kindred 
spirits,  I  believe  it  is — ' 

'  Frank,  Frank,  how  can  you?  '  said  Emmeline,  colour- 
ing scarlet  with  shame,  and  fear  that  Miss  Willoughby 
might  dislike  having  ignorance  itself  likened  to  her 
knowledge.  Kate  did  not  mind  it  in  the  least,  so  sure  was 
she  that  it  was  not  meant  for  her. 

'  Where  have  you  been  learning  such  elegant  senti- 
ments, Frank  ?  '  said  Miss  Willoughby. 

'  Where — why,  where  should  I,  but  in  such  good  com- 
pany as  I  keep.  Did  I  not  tell  you  they  were  kindred 
spirits  ?  ' 

*  I  wish  you  would  not  say  such  things,  Frank,'  said 
Emmeline. 

'  What,  not  when  it  is  quite  true  ?  Deny  it  if  you  can, 
that  I  found  a  whole  foolscap  sheet  full  of  verses,  all  about 
a  river  gliding  and  gliding  on  for  ever.' 

Here  Emmeline's  desperate  attempt  to  stop  his  mouth 
succeeded  for  a  moment,  she  looking  very  piteous  and  im- 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  109 

ploring;  Kate  half-proud  that  Miss  Willoughby  should 
bear  all,  half-vexed  at  her  sister's  annoyance,  but  scolding 
Frank  all  the  time  ;  Juliet,  partly  curious,  partly  sympa- 
thizing and  sorry  for  Emmellne. 

'  Never  mind,'  said  Juliet,  good-naturedly,  '  Frank  is 
a  great  rogue  ;  but  as  we  can't  keep  him  in  order,  we  must 
submit  to  his  bad  behaviour.' 

'  Now,  if  ever  I  heard  !  '  cried  Frank.  '  When  this 
cousin  of  mine,  this  Mrs.  Romeo,  was  coming  to  me  last 
evening  to  ask  me  for  a  hint  how  to  talk  to  you — and  I 
not  only  gave  her  a  hint,  but  a  full  broad  explanation — • 
nay,  and  set  you  down  to  talk  German  and  poetry  from 
morning  till  night  !  here  are  all  the  thanks  I  get.' 

'  Did  you  really  ? '  said  Kate,  innocently. 

'  Of  course,'  said  Juliet,  laughing,  '  what  else  should 
I  do  but  ask  what  two  stranger  young  ladies  were  like  ? 
Would  not  you  have  done  the  same  ?  And  so  this  is  the 
way  Mr.  Frank  chooses  to  answer  me.  A  broad  hint, 
indeed,  it  may  be  called.' 

'  Indeed,  I  am  very  much  ashamed,'  said  Emmeline. 
*  As  to  my  being  compared  with  you,  Miss  Willoughby, 
you,  know  Frank's  nonsense  too  well  to  mind  that,  and 
indeed,  indeed — ' 

'  Indeed  what  ?  '  said  Juliet,  rather  maliciously. 

'  Yes,'  said  Kate,  coming  to  her  sister's  aid,  in  her 
quandary,  though  not  quite  as  Emmeline  had  intended, 
'  Emmie  does  know  a  great  deal — nothing  compared  with 
you,  to  be  sure — but  more  than  anybody  at  Miss  Danby's. 
And  as  to  the  verses,  she  does  write  a  great  many,  only 
no  one  ever  saw  any  but  Constance  and  me,  except  some 
that  I  got  leave  to  give  Lady  Frances.  So,  though  a 
great  deal  is  Frank's  nonsense,  some  of  it  is  true.' 

In  the  meantime  Frank  had  disappeared. 

'  Indeed,'  said  Miss  AVilloughby,  turning  to  the  blush- 
ing Emmeline,  I  do  feel  for  you  very  much,  it  is  very 
disagreeable;  but  I  suppose  Frank  did  it  on  the  principle 
that  we  should  get  much  better  acquainted  if  he   broke' 
the  ice  for  us.^ 

'  He  has  broken  it  with  a  good  hard  plunge,'  said 
Emmeline. 


110  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

'  So  he  Las;  but  now  we  have  all  tumbled  in,  and  all 
scrambled  out  together,  we  must  be  the  better  friends 
from  our  companionship  in  disaster.  Don't  be  afraid,  I 
won't  ask  to  see  one  line  of  your  verses  till  you  feel  that 
you  know  me  well  enough  to  like  to  show  them  to  me.' 

'  Thank  you,'  said  Emmeline,  sincerely,  feeling  it 
possible  that  the  time  might  not  be  distant. 

'  And  don't  be  afraid  of  dear  good  Frank,'  said  Juliet, 
earnestly  ;  '  you  have  not  known  him  as  long  as  I  have, 
and  he  does  teaze  sometimes,  but  you  may  trust  him  with 
all  your  heart,  he  will  never  do  anything  that  is  really 
and  fairly  disagreeable,  and  he  will  never  betray  you  to 
any  but  safe  people.  0,  I  do  hope  you  all  understand 
Frank.' 

'  Understand  him  ?  that  we  hardly  do,'  said  Emmeline 
'  but   we    do  like  him  very  much ;    I   should   not  have 
thought  that  so  short  a  time  could  have  made  us  so  like 
brother  and  sisters.' 

'  Yes,  yes,  I  am  glad  to  hear  it,'  said  Juliet,  eagerly. 
'  You  see  Frank  has  been  used  to  be  so  happy  at  Dumble- 
thwayte,  he  and  uncle  Willoughby  fit  so  well  together, 
and  he  is  so  fond  of  the  place,  and  garden,  and  poor 
people,  and  so  useful  there,  that  I  was  afraid  he  would  be 
out  of  his  element  almost  anywhere  else.  And  then 
Frank  has  such  quick  perceptions  in  some  things,  and 
such  strong  feelings,  too,  in  spite  of  that  round  merry 
face  of  his,  that  I  was  very  much  afraid  he  might  not  be 
happy.' 

'  I  am  sure  I  hope  he  is,'  said  Kate,  while  Emmeline 
recollected  what  had  always  dwelt  on  her  mind  with 
regard  to  him  and  her  mother,  and  she  did  full  justice  in 
secret  to  his  quick  perception. 

'  Yes,  I  think  he  is,'  said  Juliet,  '  by  his  ways  with 
you  ;  I  can  see  that  he  is.  And  Frank  is  so  good,  I 
know  nobody  like  him.  But  what  does  he  find  to  do 
here  ? ' 

This  question  led  to  an  introduction  to  the  Tower, 
but  they  found  the  door  fastened  against  them,  and  it 
presently  appeared  that  Frank  and  Alfred  were  there 
putting  things  to  rights  to  receive  Juliet. 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  Ill 

Then  into  the  Tower  she  went,  looked,  laughed, 
admired,  and  finally  aided,  hand,  heart,  and  soul,  in  the 
half-finished  papering,  and  before  the  luncheon  bell  rang, 
had  won  the  heart  of  Alfred,  and  caused  Edwin  to  run 
incessantly  after  her,  calling  her  his  dear  Mrs.  Komeo. 

For  the  rest,  Emmeline  and  Kate  were  perfectly  at 
ease  with  her ;  and  as  her  sliyness  also  wore  off,  and  she 
talked  as  she  thought,  without  repressing  quotations  or 
illustrations  for  fear  of  display,  her  talent  began  more 
and  more  to  impress,  and  almost  enchant  Emmeline, 

She  did  not  either  play  or  draw  herself,  but  she  took 
intense  delight  in  good  music,  and  had  much  scientific 
knowledge  of  the  merit  of  drawings  or  prints,  as  well  as 
delight  in  fine  scenery.  Two  or  three  excursions  were 
made  to  the  beauties  around ;  Sir  Francis  managed  them 
all  in  as  formal  and  inconvenient  a  guide-book  way  as 
man  could  well  do,  but  he  could  not  spoil  the  mountains, 
the  lakes,  or  the  rivers  ;  and,  besides,  he  had  to  do  the 
honours  to  Mrs  Willoughby,  so  the  four  young  people 
had  a  good  deal  of  liberty  to  be  hapi3y  together.  If  it 
had  been  for  nothing  else,  the  long  rivers  would  have 
been  a  great  delight  to  Emmeline,  for  she  generally  sat 
alone  with  Juliet,  and  such  talks  as  they  had  about 
abstruse  German  !  about  historical  personages,  and  meta- 
physical questions,  as  Frank  declared  enough  to  frighten 
the  horses.  It  gave  Emmeline  a  much  better  opinion  of 
herself,  and  made  Kate  very  proud  of  her,  that  she  should 
find  herself  on  any  thing  like  equal  terms  with  Juliet 
"Willoughby ;  and  the  occupation,  the  engrossing  of  her 
mind,  was  most  delightful  to  her. 

All  the  German  in  the  world  would  she  read — 
Spanish,  Latin,  Greek,  would  she  learn — be  as  clever  as 
Juliet ;  that,  perhaps,  was  impossible,  but  at  any  rate  she 
must  reach  towards  her  knowledge,  she  must  taste  of  the 
wells  which  Juliet  found  so  delightful. 

Book  after  book  did  Juliet  promise  to  lend,  and  she 
promise  to  read  ;  and  her  letters,  instead  of  simple  records 
of  facts  and  of  feelings,  were  grand  in  descriptions  and 
criticism  of  books ;  and  Kate's  were  just  the  same,  for 
Kate's  head  had  gone  into  literature  as  far  and  as  deep 


112  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

as  her  sister's,  though  she  thought  it  was  all  on  her  own 
account. 

Emmcline,  before  the  close  of  the  fortnight,  had  heard 
the  plot  of  Juliet's  next  story,  and  read  two  or  three 
manuscript  poems ;  and  it  can  scarcely  be  doubted,  that 
in  return  her  own  verses  were  shown. 

They  were  smooth  and  regular  for  the  most  part, 
much  in  earnest,  and  sometimes  with  a  good  deal  of  quiet 
pathos  ;  for  Emmeline,  like  most  young  things,  liked  best 
to  dwell  on  sadness.  Juliet  admired  them,  but  she  showed 
her  sense,  and  disappointed  Kate,  who  wanted  her  very 
much  to  propose  to  ^^ut  them  in  the  magazine. 

*  I  see  what  you  wish,  Kate,'  said  she,  in  her  usual 
abrupt  way,  '  but  I  do  not  advise  it.' 

'  0,  I  am  glad  you  don't,-  said  Emmeline. 

'  It  would  be  poor  praise  to  say  that  I  have  seen  worse 
published  ;  and  as  to  the  nonsense  about  literary  ladies, 
that  is  all  stuff";  but  Emmeline  is  so  young,  and  I  dare 
say  will  do  so  much  better,  that  she  would  look  down  upon 
these,  and  get  ashamed  of  them,  and  of  having  begun  the 
world  with  what  was  not  her  best.  And  then  another 
thing,  Emmeline,  one's  first  fresh  young  ideas  are  the 
best  of  all ;  they  spring  and  grow  with  one,  but  the  man- 
ner of  them  is  apt  to  be  imitated  from  something,  and 
they  want  the  judgment  that  one  gets  in  growing  older  ; 
either  to  modify  or  strengthen  them,  and  so  they  are 
wasted  by  being  put  forth  too  soon,  like  early  buds.  I 
dare  say  Waverley  was  much  the  better  for  being  put 
away  and  forgotten  all  that  long  time.  I  do  think  it  is  a 
very  bad  thing  to  get  so  easily  into  print  as  one  may  do 
now.' 

Emmeline  fully  agreed  to  this,  for  her  notion  was  to 
let  authorship  be  a  very  grand  future  vision,  and  she  saw 
the  faults  in  her  verses,  the  weaknesses  rather,  sufficiently 
to  know  they  would  look  worse  some  time  or  other.  There 
was  enough  to  engross  her  for  the  present  in  the  desire  of 
study. 

Juliet's  visit  was  a  very  bright  spot.  She  was  in  the 
midst  of  all  their  sports,  laughed  at  by  Frank,  and  laugh- 
ing with  him,  playing  with   the   children,  and  going  deep 


THE    CASTLE   BUILDERS.  113 

into  the  confidence  of  the  sisters,  who  told  her  a  good  deal 
about  Constance,  and  more  than  was  advisable  about  Sir 
Francis  ;  which,  besides  being  wrong,  was  unnecessary,  as 
she  found  it  all  out  for  herself. 

The  crowning  delight  was  the  last  evening  of  her  stay, 
when  Frank  and  Kate,  by  a  great  exertion  of  influence, 
obtained  permission  from  the  elders  for  all  the  '  old  young 
ones,'  as  Alfred  called  them,  to  secede  from  the  dinner- 
table,  and  have  a  great  inauguration  tea-drinking  in  the 
Tower — children,  Miss  Townsend,  and  all. 

Janet,  with  considerable  aid  from  Miss  Townsend, 
made  a  flag  for  the  top  of  the  tower ;  Emmeline  composed 
a  mock  heroic  ode,  which  Juliet,  rather  against  her  will, 
was  obliged  by  Frank  to  translate  into  all  the  languages 
she  knew,  and  more  too  ;  Frank  mended  the  table  and 
chairs  ;  Kate,  unassisted'  except  by  Edwin,  who  brought 
the  sticks,  made  and  lighted  the  fire  to  boil  the  kettle  ; 
and  all,  down  to  little  Cecilia,  assembled  round  the  table, 
in  the  highest  spirits. 

How  they  did  eat  bread  and  butter  and  drink  tea  I 
how  they  talked  and  laughed ;  and  what  slight  jokes  or 
little  blunders  sufficed  to  set  all,  wise  and  foolish,  alike 
into  perfect  paroxysms  of  mirth  ! 

When  Frank  proposed  having  toasts,  only  that  they 
were  to  be  eaten  instead  of  drunk,  what  a  laugh  ensued  ; 
and  forthwith  Kate  and  Juliet  went  down  on  their  knees 
before  the  fire  to  toast  sundry  pieces  of  bread.  Then 
began  the  healths  ;  Frank  proposed  '  Romeo,  and  all  the 
Montagues.'  Juliet  in  her  turn  proposed,  '  The  Fair 
Emmeline.  and  might  all  her  Castles,  modern  Gothic  ones 
especially,  prove  as  substantial  and  produce  as  much  hap- 
piness as  the  Tower.'  But  it  would  take  too  long  to  tell 
all  the  speeches  made  on  the  occasion,  bad,  good,  and  in- 
different, they  all  alike  answered  their  purpose,  and  that 
was  enough.  Frank  treated  them  to  one  of  the  harvest 
songs  of  Dumblethwayte,  and  then,  as  the  children  had 
by  this  time  grown  tired,  Miss  Townsend  carried  them  off, ' 
while  the  others  took  a  turn  in  the  garden,  and  talked  of 
uncle  Willoughby  and  Dumblethwayte,  every  stick  and 
stone   of  which   seemed   to  have  an  interest  for  Frank 


Il4  THE    CASTLE    BUILDEliS. 

and  Juliet.  It  seemed  so  simple  and  homely,  so  happy 
and  so  good,  that  to  Emmeline  it  was  like  a  sort  of  vision, 
and  she  did  not  wonder  at  Frank's  intense  aflfection  for  it. 

'  Yes,'  said  Jidiet,  '  it  is  remote  enough  to  have  missed 
a  great  deal  of  modern  corruption,  and  then  forty  years  of 
such  a  *'  Idndlkh  "  man  as  uncle  Willoughhy  has  not  been 
lost  upon  it.' 

'  What's  that  about  my  uncle  ?  '  said  Frank  ;  '  some- 
thing you  arc  ashamed  to  put  in  plain  English  to  meet 
my  ears,  Mrs.  Romeo.     Come,  out  with  it.' 

'  I  meant  it  as  high  praise,  you  suspicious  mortal,' 
said  Juliet.  *  I  don't  think  you  would  understand  me  if 
I  said  in  English,  such  an  old  child  as  uncle  Willoughby, 
and  yet  it  is  just  what  he  is.' 

'  I  suppose  you  would  have  me  think  that  is  meta- 
physics or  some  such  tomfoolery,'  said  Frank,  *  but  it 
sounds  to  me  very  like  impertinence.' 

'  Moreover,'  continued  Juliet,  '  you  will  be  just  such 
another,  and  that  is  my  delight  in  thinking  of  Dumblc- 
thwayte.' 

'  Nonsense,'  said  Frank,  not  however  looking  abso- 
lutely displeased. 

'  Let  me  see,  you  are  seventeen  and  a  half,  Frank, 
are  not  you  ?  In  six  years'  time,  then !  How  choice 
a  thing  it  will  be  to  see  you  settled  for  good  in  the 
parsonage  with  my  uncle,  and  old  Lawrence,  with  the 
actual  presence,  instead  of  only  the  fear  of  Master  Frank 
before  his  eyes,  to  make  him  cut  the  lettuces  before  they 
run  to  seed.  And 'then,  Frank,  when  you  are  really  there 
for  good,  we  won't  trouble  you  more  than  once  a  week  to 
walk  over  the  hill  and  see  us.  And  you  will  invite  us  to 
all  your  school  tea-drinkings,  won't  you?  ' 

'  To  be  sure  I  will,'  said  Frank.  '  Don't  you  know,  if 
I  had  been  at  home — there  I  mean — these  holidays,  I 
meant  to  have  made  you  such  an  arbour  in  the  laurel- 
hedge  as  you  never  saw,  to  sit  in  between  the  services  on 
Sunday.  I  meant  you  to  have  taught  that  great  Peggy 
Graves  and  those  other  girls  there.' 

'  So  I  will,  Frank,  I  promise  you  ;  I  will  offer  uncle 
Willoughby  as  soon  as  ever  I  get  home,  and  tell  him  I 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  115 

have  got  leave  to  be  his  ciirute's  curate.  Emmcline  and 
Kate,  won't  3^ou  come  and  stay  with  me,  just  to  see  Frank's 
house?' 

'  They  must  come  when  I  am  at  home,'  said  Frank, 
'  or  you  won't  show  them  about  half  well  enough.  Be- 
sides, Kate  has  promised  to  do  me  the  picture  of  the  wal- 
nut tree  and  the  pond,  for  my  rooms  at  Oxford,  and  she 
can't  do  it  properly  without  my  looking  over  her.' 

'  Sir  Francis  here  tapped  the  drawing-room  window  : 
*  Come  in,  come  in,  you  giddy  young  things,  we  have 
spared  you  quite  long  enough,  and  now  you  are  catching 
colds,  and  will  have  no  voices  at  all  this  evening.' 

'  So  our  holiday  is  over,'  sighed  Emmeline,  as  they 
entered  the  house. 

Mrs.  and  Miss  AYilloughby  were  to  depart  the  next 
day,  and  at  breakfast  in  the  morning  much  was  said  of 
future  meetings ;  Sir  Francis  opined  that  they  should 
remain  at  Bellevue  some  little  time  longer,  as  he  wished 
to  have  time  to  look  about  for  the  estate  he  intended  to 
purchase.  But  he  said  he  should  go  to  London  in  the 
course  of  the  winter,  for  he  wanted  to  make  inquiries 
about  some  person  who  prepared  young  men  for  the  army ; 
he  thought  it  would  be  a  good  thing  for  Frank  to  leave 
his  present  school  some  little  time  before  going  into  the 
Gruards. 

It  was  like  an  electric  shock,  to  at  least  three  of  the 
company.  Juliet,  Emmeline,  and  Kate,  cast  glances  of 
dismay  at  each  other,  and  then  looked  at  Frank ;  his  red 
cheeks  might  be  a  shade  redder  than  usual ;  but  he  pro- 
ceeded with  his  breakfast  in  a  business-like  way,  and 
neither  raised  his  eyes,  nor  spoke.  Mrs.  Willoughby, 
being  a  prudent  woman,  simply  talked  on  about  hopes 
that  they  would  make  it  convenient  to  come  and  stay  with 
her,  &c.,  and  so  the  breakfast  concluded. 

Emmeline  and  Kate  went  up  with  Juliet  to  help  her 
to  put  on  her  things,  and  as  soon  as  she  was  in  her  own 
room,  she  exclaimed,  '  Well !  I  am  sorry !  Poor  Frank, 
what  will  he  do  ? ' 

'  I  never  heard  anything  that  surprised  me  more,'  said 
Kate. 


110  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

'  0,  I  don't  wonder,  Sir  Francis  wants  to  make  an 
eldest  son  of  him — but  Frank  to  be  uprooted  from  Dum- 
blethwayte — Frank  in  the  Guards — Oh  !  how  can  it  be  ? 
and  how  disappointed  uncle  Willoughby  will  be  !  Frank 
is  the  very  light  of  his  eyes  ! ' 

'  Surely  Sir  Francis  will  not  persist  if  Frank  dislikes 
it,'  said  Emmeline. 

*  Depend  upon  it  Sir  Francis  will  not  be  thwarted,' 
said  Juliet.  '  Frank  will  be  victimized  among  you,  he 
will  get  among  a  set  of  people  who  will  laugh  at  him,  he 
will  have  nothing  to  do,  nothing  to  care  for,  he  will  be 
utterly  thrown  away  ! ' 

'  I  should  think  Frank  had  a  great  spring  within  him 
wherever  he  was,'  said  Emmeline. 

'  Yes,  that  is  right,  Emmeline,'  said  Juliet,  eagerly. 
'  Frank  is  too  good  ever  to  be  really  thrown  away ;  but 
his  whole  being  and  life  are  so  at  Dumblethwayte,  and  he 
is  so  made  for  it !  0.  it  will  be  a  cruel  thing  if  Sir  Francis 
should  !  -  Well,  I  can't  bear  to  think  of  it,  and  besides, 
tliere  is  our  carriage,  I  must  run  down.  Write  to  me, 
Emmeline,  and  tell  me  how  it  goes  on.  I  will  send  you 
the  books  as  soon  as  ever  I  can,  and  tell  me  what  you 
think  of  those  verses  of  Chamisso's.  I  hope  you  will 
come  to  us,  though — oh,  dear  !  poor  Frank  spoils  it 
all—' 

Alfred  came  running  up  with  a  message  to  ask  if 
she  was  ready,  and  she  ran  down  stairs.  They  were  all 
standing  in  the  hall  wishing  good-bye.  Juliet  looked 
inquiringly  in  Frank's  face  as  she  shook  hands,  but  the 
features  expressed  absolutely  nothing.  She  asked  if  he 
had  any  message  for  their  uncle.  No,  he  would  write ; 
and  they  went,  with  a  parting  injunction  from  Juliet  to 
Emmeline  to  write  soon. 

Lady  Willoughby  went  to  her  room,  Sir  Francis  to 
his  fence,  and  Frank  followed  him  ;  the  girls,  after  talking 
over  his  prospects  and  Juliet's  perfections,  sat  down  to 
some  German.  Kate  wanted  to  ask  Frank  what  he 
thought  of  his  father's  designs,  but  Emmeline  deemed  it 
better  not.  He  was  just  like  himself;  and,  when  called 
on  to  teach  the  Greek  alphabet,  put  on  his  most  teazing 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  117 

manner,  and  would  only  make  nonsense  and  fun,  much  to 
the  annoyance  of  Emmeline,  who  was  quite  in  earnest. 

Sir  Francis  was  evidently  out  of  sorts.  He  found 
fault  with  the  weather  and  the  dinner,  was  displeased  with 
the  girls  for  leaving  their  books  about,  and  was  even  testy 
with  the  children. 


lis  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 


CHAPTER  X. 

If  in  pure  aims,  and  deeds,  and  prayers. 
His  path  mount  liigh,  and  far  from  theirs. 

LyBA   iNNOCENTItTM, 

There  was  a  silence  and  constraint  over  all  the  party  at 
breakfast  the  next  morning,  and  Emmeline  was  sure  that 
her  mother  had  been  desired  to  do  something  which  she 
thought  very  troublesome,  but  did  not  know  how  to  resist, 
for  she  sighed  two  or  three  times,  and  sent  her  cup  for 
more  coffee  with  a  sort  of  plaintive  air  of  importance, 
which  Emmeline  had  learnt  to  understand  full  well. 

Nothing  transpired  till  Sir  Francis  finished  his  last 
cup  of  tea,  and  rose  from  his  chair,  sayiug,  '  Well,  then, 
I  leave  him  to  you,  Lady  Willoughby — or  stay,  here's 
Emmie  too,  and  my  little  Kate,  sensible  girls  both.  They 
have  plenty  of  influence  with  him,  I'll  be  bound,  and  will 
bring  him  to  hear  reason.  Look  here,  then,  look  at  that 
boy :  you  heard  the  offer  I  made  him  yesterday,  to  get 
him  a  commission  in  the  Guards,  make  him  heir  to  a  landed 
estate,  and  now  what  do  you  think  he  goes  and  tells  me  ? 
Why  that  he  has  set  his  mind  on  going  into  the  Church — 
sitting  down  as  a  country  curate,  where  no  one  will  ever 
hear  of  him.  I  declare  it  is  enough  to  provoke  a  saint, 
when  there  are  youths  enough  in  the  world  who  would 
give  their  ears  for  such  an  offer.' 

There  was  a  pause;  Emmeline  had  been  watching 
Frank ;  she  thought  she  saw  his  forehead  once  contract  a 
little,  but  it  passed  off,  and  he  sat  with  his  face  as  un- 


THE'OASTLE    BUILDERS.  119 

moved  as  ever,  and  liis  eyes  fixed  on  his  plate,  whore  he 
was  making  some  ungainly  movements  with  his  knife. 

'  But  there,'  said  Sir  Francis,  '  I  have  set  all  the  ad- 
vantages before  him,  talked  to  him  till  I  am  sick  of  it,  and 
not  an  inch  does  he  move.' 

'  I  told  you,  sir,'  said  Frank,  looking  up,  '  that  I  must 
do  as  you  chose,  only  my  wishes  were  the  other  way.' 

'  As  I  chose ;  what  care  I  for  that,  if  it  is  all  against 
the  grain?  No,  it  shall  not  be  must — I  am  no  tyrant, 
as  you  would  make  me  out — I  must  have  you  willing,  or 
not  at  all' 

Frank  was  silent  again. 

'  0,  he  will  be  persuaded,'  said  Lady  Willoughby ; 
'  he  must  see  the  advantages,  and  not  grieve  us  all  by  op- 
posing all  our  wishes — so  amiable  a  youth  as  he  is,  too, 
and  when  we  only  wish  his  own  good.' 

'  Well,  I  am  tired  of  talking  of  it.  I  wash  my  hands 
of  it,  and  leave  it  to  you,'  said  Sir  Francis.  '  Talk  him 
out  of  his  folly,  there  is  a  good  little  Kate,  now.' 

Away  went  Sir  Francis,  and  poor  Frank  remained 
with  a  look  upon  his  face  which,  interested  as  she  was, 
made  Emmeline  think,  for  a  moment,  that  now  she  knew 
what  was  meant  when  a  man  was  said  to  look  as  if  he  was 
going  to  be  hanged. 

Lady  Willoughby  began  by  looking  very  soft  and  gen- 
tle, as  she  took  Frank's  reluctant  hand,  and  said,  '  My 
dear  boy,  I  feel  sure  that  you  consider  me  as  a  mother, 
and  will  have  full  confidence  in  my  earnest  wishes  for 
your  welfare.' 

'  Thank  you,'  said  Frank,  when  she  paused,  finding  he 
must  say  something,  and  speaking  in  a  subdued  voice. 

*  Ah,  I  am  sure  of  it,  and  I  am  sure  you  will  listen  to 
me  when  I  beg  you  to  oblige  your  dear  father,  and  give 
pleasure  to  all  of  us,  sincere  pleasure,  by  consenting  to 
what  is  so  much  to  your  own  advantage.' 

'  I  have  told  my  father  that  of  course  he  must  dispose 
of  me  as  he  likes,'  said  Frank. 

'Yes,  but  that  is  not  all;  Sir  Francis  is  so  kind,  so 
indulgent,  that  the  last  thing  he  would  wish  would  be  to 
force  your  inclinations.' 


120 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 


'  Then  I  can't  help  it,'  said  Frank,  '  I  can't  help  what 
I  wish.' 

'  But  I  can't  understand  it  at  all,  my  dear.  "What  is 
this  great  charm  in  the  Church  as  a  profession  ? ' 

She  waited  for  an  answer,  but  none  was  forthcoming, 
and  she  went  on  triumphantly,  '  I  know  you  are  very  much 
attached  to  your  uncle,  poor  dear  good  old  man,  and  to 
his  parish,  what  is  its  name  ?  A  sweet  place,  and  so  ro- 
mantic, as  Mrs.  Willoughby  said ;  of  course,  you  must  be 
attached  to  it,  and  it  does  you  great  credit,  but  then  you 
will  know,  when  you  have  seen  a  little  more  of  the  world, 
how  different  it  is ;  a  country  curate  is  a  mere  nobody, 
and  unless  you  have  connexions  in  that  line,  there  is  no 
rising,  and  in  such  a  remote  place,  no  bringing  yourself 
into  notice.     Your  uncle,  dear  good  man — ' 

'  I  don't  want  notice,  ma'am,'  said  Frank,  who  had 
been  looking  even  more  resigned  and  uneasy  under  this 
speech  than  before. 

'  Ah!  this. is  the  way  people  talk  when  they  are  young 
and  romantic ;  I  can  quite  sympathize  with  you,  my  dear ; 
but  then  you  know — '  Here  she  could  not  get  on,  but 
she  began  on  another  tack :  '  Have  you  thought  of  the  ad- 
vantages, my  dear;  just  remember,  an  officer  in  the  Guards, 
is  in  the  very  best,  the  very  highest  circles  of  society, 
without  anything  to  fatigue  you,  a  London  life,  introduc- 
tions everywhere.  And  then  the  estate  that  Sir  Francis 
is  going  to  buy,  some  fine  place,  no  doubt.  Dear  me, 
think  of  such  a  position,  eldest  son,  and  heir  to  a  fine 
property,  and  an  officer  in  the  Guards,  with  a  handsome 
allowance,  such  as  dear  liberal  Sir  Francis  would  be  sure 
to  make  to  his  eldest  son  ! ' 

'  Then  I  wish  he  would  make  an  eldest  son  of  Alfred ! ' 
said  Frank,  despondingly. 

Lady  Willoughby  looked  bright  for  a  moment,  but 
then  shook  her  head  :  '  Ah !  that  is  so  generous — ' 

'  Not  at  all,'  said  Frank,  with  a  little  more  hope. 

'  0,  but  it  is,  my  dear  boy,  it  is  very  noble,  and  you 
shall  not  say  otherwise ;  and  if  anything  could  add  to  my 
affection  for  you — but  you  see  it  would  never  do,  it  is 
quite  impossible,  your  father  would  never  consent,  and  I 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  121 

am  the  last  person  in  the  world  who  could  make  such  a 
proposal — you  must  see  that.  No,  you  must  yield  to  all 
our  wishes,  make  us  all  happy.  Let  me  have  the  pleasure 
of  telling  your  father  that  I  have  prevailed.' 

Frank  returned  rather  doggedly  to  his  old  formulary. 
'  My  father  must  do  as  he  pleases,  but  I  cannot  speak  the 
truth,  if  I  am  required  to  say  I  like  it.' 

'Ah!  well,  you  will  come  round  in  time,  I  know  you 
will,  you  are  only  taken  by  surprise,  just  now ;  but  you 
will  yield,  you  will  see  what  is  so  much  to  your  benefit. 
And  now  I  shall  leave  you  to  talk  it  over  with  your  sisters.' 

She  sailed  away,  and  they  all  felt  it  a  relief  to  go  out 
into  the  garden.     Kate  was  the  first  to  speak. 

'  0,  Frank,  is  not  it  horrid  ?' 

'  When  you  have  never  thought  of  anything  but  going 
into  the  Church  all  your  life  ! '  said  Emmeline. 

'  I  am  in  the  (Church,'  said  Frank,  bluntly.  * 

'  0,  yes,  of  course,  in  that  sense,'  said  Emmeline  ; 
'  but  you  know  what  I  mean.  And  you  and  uncle  Wil- 
loughby  suit  so  beautifully,  as  Juliet  says.  0,  I  do  hope 
you  will  persuade  Sir  Francis.' 

'A  very  honest  person  you  are,  Miss  Berners,'  said 
Frank,  suddenly  turning  round  on  her.  '  Prettily  you  are 
doing  the  work  you  were  set  to  do  ! ' 

'  But  Frank,  Frank,  you  surely  did  not  think  we  should 
be  unkind  enough  to  tease  you  about  these  foolish  Guards,' 
said  Emmeline. 

'  Then  you  had  better  say  nothing  about  it,'  said  Frank. 
He  tried  to  speak  in  his  bantering  way,  but  not  succeed- 
ing, he  next  put  on  his  churlishness.  '  I  can  manage  my 
afiairs  with  my  father  my  own  way  ; '  then  again  he  failed, 
and  there  was  a  suppressed  sob  in  his  voice  as  he  finished. 
*  Thank  you,  but  let  me  alone  ;  you  will  either  be  double- 
faced  or  get  into^a  scrape  if  you  meddle,  so  have  nothing 
to  do  with  it.  I  can  write  to  my  uncle.'  So  saying,  he 
resolutely  walked  away  from  them. 

They  looked  at  each  other :  *  Is  he  angry  ?  Is  he  sul- 
len?' said  Kate. 

'  Oh  !  no,  no,'  said  Emmeline,  whose  eyes  were  full  of 
tears, '  it  is  all  his  goodness,  poor  fellow ;  but  I  wish  he 
6 


122  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

would  not  be  so  cautious  for  us,  I  should  like  of  all  things 
to  get  into  a  scrape  for  his  sake.  Come,  Kate,  we  will 
try  if  it  is  possible  to  get  some  comprehension  of  the  state 
of  things  into  mamma's  head.' 

They  accordingly  did  the  very  unusual  thing  of  mak- 
ing an  inroad  upon  Lady  Willoughby  in  her  own  room, 
and  they  were  thus  received  :  '  Well,  my  dear  Emmie,  are 
you  come  to  pity  me?  I  suppose  I  need  not  ask  whether 
you  could  do  anything  with  him ;  but  I  am  sure  you  can 
bear  me  witness  that  I  said  everything  to  him  that  could 
be  said.' 

'  Yes,  mamma,'  began  Emmeline. 

'  Sir  Francis  would  have  me  try  what  I  could  do,'  con- 
tinued Lady  Willoughby,  '  though  I  was  quite  certain  it 
would  be  of  no  use ;  the  boy  knew  no  more  what  I  was 
saying  than  a  block.  You  saw  how  it  was,  did  not  you  ? ' 
*  '  i  assure  you,  mamma,  I  think  there_  is  a  great  deal 
more  in  Frank  than  you  suppose.' 

'  My  dear  Emmie,  how  can  you  say  so?  you  see  with 
Miss  Willoughby's  partial  eyes,  I  suppose ;  but  I  assure 
you  I  never  saw  a  more  clumsy,  dull,  heavy  youth  in  my 
life.  I  know  you  won't  repeat  this  of  course.  But  though 
I  heartily  wish  it  was  settled,  because,  till  it  is,  his  father 
will  let  us  have  no  peace ;  it  is  really  vexatious  to  think 
what  advantages  will  be  thrown  away  upon  him.  Make 
them  over  to  poor  little  Alfred,  to  be  sure  !  the  boy  could 
not  have  said  a  wiser  thing,  only  it  -is  quite  impossible ; 
all  the  world  would  be  thinking  it  was  my  doing.' 

'I  wish  it  could  be  so  settled,'  said  Emmeline,  'for  I 
know  very  well  Frank  will  never  be  so  useful  or  so  happy 
anywhere  as  at  Dumblethwayte ;  he  has  grown  up  all  his 
life  with  the  hope  of  being  his  uncle's  curate,  and  it  is 
what  he  is  just  fit  for.  Indeed,  mamma,  he  is  neither 
dull  nor  without  feeling,  and  this  project  is  giving  him 
more  pain,  I  am  sure,  than  you  or  Sir  Francis  can  guess ; 
so  if  you  can  do  anything  for  him  to  put  Sir  Francis  off 
the  scheme — ' 

*  Impossible,  impossible,  my  dear.  You  don't  know 
how  his  mind  is  set  on  it.  For  my  own  part,  as  I  say,  the 
boy  should  be  welcome  to  do  as  he  pleases,  but  it  would 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  123 

never  do  to  say  so  to  Sir  Francis;  and  don't  you,  by  any 
means  either,  my  dears.  If  he  thought  you  were  backing 
up  his  son  against  him,  I  really  can't  tell  what  would  be 
the  consequence  ;  we  should  never  have  any  peace  again.' 

'  I  am  very  sorry  for  Frank,'  said  Emmeline,  with  a 
very  sincere,  long  sigh ;  and  they  were  both  leaving  the 
room,  when  Lady  Willoughby  said,  '  0,  my  dears,  are  you 
going?  I  wanted  you  to  help  me  to  look  over  these  collars 
and  things,  to  see  which  to  have  made  up  again.' 

'  Yes,  mamma,'  said  Kate,  and  stayed  ;  but  Emmeline 
could  not  bear  it,  and  went  to  the  drawing-room.  She 
leant  out  of  the  window,  and  saw  Frank  with  his  arms 
folded,  pacing  slowly  up  and  down  the  walks,  and  much 
did  she  long  to  go  and  comfort  him,  and  tell  him  that  h<? 
had  two  sisters  who  loved  and  felt  with  him ;  and  then 
when  she  thought  of  his  rejection  of  their  sympathy,  foi 
their  sake,  not  for  his  own,  she  saw  a  nobleness  in  it, 
which  for  a  moment  made  her  heart  swell  as  if  he  had  been 
a  hero  of  romance.  '  Double-faced,  he  said,'  thought  she, 
'■  I  know  who  is  double-faced!  0,  it  makes  my  heart  sick. 
0  that  I  could  still  think  of  her  as  I  did  before  her  re- 
turn ;  but  it  is  rather  as  if  I  had  lost  than  found  my 
mother!  she  putting  everything  before  Frank  indeed,  as 
if  Frank's  was  a  mind  to  be  satisfied  with  finery,  and  so- 
ciety and  London  life,  and  the  world ;  what  have  they  to 
do  with  happiness  ?' 

What  have  they  indeed  !  but  Emmeline  was  not  right 
in  the  highest  sense.  She  viewed  them  only  as  contrasted 
with  the  quiet  pleasant  life  of  Dumblethwaite  parsonage, 
and  she  thought  she  sympathized  with  Frank  ;  but  deeper, 
far  deeper,  was  the  tide  of  feeling  that  filled  his  heart. 
Words,  or  formed  thoughts,  he  had  not,  but  his  temper 
was  that  of  the  young  brother  of  St.  Bernard,  who,  find- 
ing himself  left  heir  of  his  father's  estate,  when  his 
brethren  entered  the  convent,  exclaimed,  '  What !  earth 
for  me,  and  heaven  for  you  ?  that  is  not  fair.'  When  or 
how  the  idea  that  he  was  to  be  a  clergyman  had  first  risen 
in  his  mind,  Frank  knew  not,  for  he  could  not  remember 
when  he  had  been  without  it;  it  had  grown  up  with  him; 
and  to  be  worthy  of  the  sacred  calling  had  ever  been  his 


124  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

fondest,  thoiiglit  and  care.  His  temper  and  tastes  were  in 
themselves  such  as  to  render  his  father's  pLans  far  less 
inviting  than  they  would  have  been  to  most  other  boys  of 
his  age,  and  coming  in  contrast  as  they  did  with  such 
hopes  as  he  had  hitherto  entertained,  there  was  something 
most  painful  in  them.  Then,  too,  came  the  unreasonable 
requirement  to  take  pleasure  in  the  project:  to  submit 
might  have  been  possible,  but  of  professing  to  like  it,  he 
was  incapable,  and  at  the  same  time  there  were  doubts 
respecting  what  was  his  duty,  and  a  dread  of  a  certain 
dogged  suUenness  of  temper  under  contradiction,  which 
Frank  well  knew  to  be  his  besetting  sin,  though  it  had 
long  been  so  well  subdued,  that,  heavy  as  his  heart  was,  and 
irritating  as  Lady  Willoughby's  persuasions  were,  not  one 
of  the  party  could  ever  have  made  it  an  accusation  against 
him. 

Lady  Willoughby,  however,  in  her  desire  for  her  own 
peace,  did  him  an  important  service,  for  when  her  husband 
was  beginning  on  the  subject  again  in  the  evenings  she 
looked  very  winning,  and  said  she  had  a  proposal  to  make, 
namely,  that  since  at  any  rate  Frank  would  remain  till 
Christmas  at  his  present  school,  no  more  should  be  said 
about  it  till  that  time,  when  Frank  would  have  had  full 
opportunity  to  think  about  it,  and  make  up  his  mind. 

It  was  a  truce  which  every  one  was  willing  to  accept, 
for  all  were  tired  of  the  question,  so  the  next  day  began 
just  as  usual.  Frank  got  up  his  spirits  again,  and  in  grat- 
itude to  the  girls  for  their  willingness  to  sympathize  with 
him,  did  actually  teach  them  the  Grreek  alphabet,  laughed 
at  them  more  than  ever,  but  forebore  to  teaze  them,  any 
more  about  the  Miss  Shaws. 


THE    CASTLE   BUILDERS.  125 


CHAPTEK  XL 

The  day  is  cold,  and  dark,  and  dreary. 
It  rains,  and  the  wind  is  never  weary  ] 
The  vine  still  clings  to  the  mouldering  wall, 
But  at  every  gnst  the  dead  leaves  fall, 
And  the  day  is  dark  and  dreary. 

Longfellow. 

Emmeline  and  Kate  wore  as  sorry  as  their  mother  was; 
glad  when  the  holidays  came  to  a  conclusion ;  and 
Frank,  after  giving  considerable  praise  to  Kate  for  her 
good  behaviour  to  Miss  Townsend,  bestowed  on  her  the 
half-crown,  and  conducted  her  into  the  town  to  spend 
it  on  the  poor  children  whom  he  patronized.  Moreover, 
he  left  his  love  for  Mr.  Denham,  finished  the  last 
touches  to  the  Tower,  and  put  it  under  their  charge, 
and  left  them  a  legacy  of  an  old  Grreek  Testament, 
which  by  the  help  of  an  English  one,  Emmeline  could 
make  out  very  well. 

Thereupon  Emmeline  and  Kate  went  without  much 
interruption  into  their  strong  fit  of  learning.  It  was 
particularly  convenient  just  at  this  time,  for  there  were 
things  which  they  could  wish  to  have  driven  out  of 
their  heads.  There  had  been  less  favourable  accounts 
of  Lord  Herbert  of  late,  not  so  much  that  he  was  worse, 
as  that  he  was  not  better ;  and  though  Constance's 
letters  were  still  cheerful,  Lady  Frances  who  had  her 
elder  brother's  report,  wrote  of  the  climate  of  Italy  not 
having  had  the  hoped-for  effect.  The  shadow  of  a 
coming  grief   seemed  to  be    darkening  upon  them  from 


126  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

that  quarter ;  and  nearer  at  hand  were  poor  Frank's 
perplexities,  which  Sir  Francis  would  not  let  them 
forget ;  and  the  unsatisfactory  light,  in  which  they  had 
seen  their  mother,  made  Emmeline  more  than  ever 
willing  to  throw  herself  out  of  present  things,  and  to 
make  a  world  for  herself. 

Her  world  of  poor  people  had  passed  away  ;  Miss 
Willoughby's  visit  had  made  an  interruption,  and  the 
sisters  were  unwilling  to  begin  again,  just  as  every  one 
is  reluctant  to  resume  a  piece  of  work  put  away  with  a 
mistake  in  it. 

The  Miss  Shaws,  Mr.  Denham,  the  battle  of  the 
Catechism,  had  passed  out  of  Emmeline's  thoughts, 
and  did  not  recur  to  them  pleasantly;  the  opposition 
had  not  been  strong  enough  to  make  her  feel  herself 
heroic  and  persecuted ;  and  Frank  had  left  an  im- 
pression on  her  mind  that  it  would  have  been  wiser 
not  to  have  meddled  with  Mr.  Hunter's  parish  at  all. 
Therefore  they  both  managed  to  forget  or  miss  their 
visiting  days ;  they  avoided  the  Miss  Shaws,  did  not 
go  to  school,  did  no  poor  work,  and,  in  fact,  neglected 
all  that  they  had  imdertaken. 

Very  poor  and  tame  did  the  ideas  of  teaching  idle 
children,  and  reading  to  blind  old  men,  appear  beside 
those  with  which  Emmeline  had  at  present  filled 
her  own  head  and  her  sister's.  First  came  their 
Greek,  good  hard  satisfying  work  ;  next,  their  G-erman, 
wherein  they  bewildered  themselves  in  metaphysics  more 
than  ever.  They  translated  verses  and  sent  them  to  Ju- 
liet, and  delighted  in  Fouque's  beautiful  romances ; 
thirdly,  there  was  poetry,  Tennyson's  especially,  to 
which  they  had  been  introduced  by  Miss  Willoughby ; 
and  as  to  the  '  Princess,'  it  so  embodied  an  ancient  vision 
of  their  own,  that  it  perfectly  enchanted  them.  They 
might  be  said  to  rave  about  it  for  at  least  a  fortnight, 
and  Kate  wrote  such  a  letter  of  rapture  to  Constance, 
that  in  return  she  received  a  good  natured  message 
from  Lord  Somerville,  to  ask  if  she  had  got  into  a 
lime-kiln. 

But  above  all,  that  was  Emmeline's  romance,  which 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  127 

she  comnmnicated  to  Kate  in  full  order,  as  far  as  it  was 
composed,  one  evening  when  their  elders  were  dining  out. 
Kate,  indeed,  knew  each  idea  as  it  had  occurred,  but 
she  had  yet  to  hear  them  altogether  and  judge  of  their 
effect. 

It  was  to  be  a  romance  of  the  League ;  the  hero, 
Olivier  de  Montmorency,  was  to  be  fighting  in  the  cause 
of  Henri  Quatre ;  and  the  battle  of  Ivry,  and  the  white 
plume,  were  to  be  in  some  way  connected  with  the 
denouement,  but  how,  was  not,  at  present,  very  clear. 
All  that  was  as  yet  settled,  was  that  a  certain  lovely 
Rosalie,  a  great  friend,  and  a  maid  of  honour  of  Henri's 
sister,  Catherine  of  Navarre,  was  to  be  in  the  hands 
of  the  Duke  of  Guise,  imprisoned  in  a  castle,  and  in 
great  danger  of  being  married  to  some  bloody-minded 
individual  of  the  house  of  Gruise.  The  Princess 
Catherine,  in  despair  about  her,  entreated  in  vain  the 
adventurous  gallants  of  her  brother's  army  to  attempt 
her  rescue,  but  no  one  would  be  persuaded  till  Olivier  de 
Montmorency  rose,  and  promised  that  if  the  princess 
would  send  the  Lady  Rosalie  a  token  by  his  hands  that 
he  might  be  trusted,  he  would  undertake  to  bring  her  in 
safety. 

Thereupon  Olivier  set  off,  disguised  as  a  minstrel, 
sung  a  song  under  the  Lady  Rosalie's  window,  unfolding 
his  purpose,  gave  her  the  token,  in  return  for  the  guerdon 
which  she  bestowed  on  him,  and,  in  a  few  words,  ap- 
pointed the  place,  whence  he  undertook  to  carry  her  off. 
In  the  middle  of  the  night,  Olivier  was  at  the  postern-gate 
with  two  horses ;  Rosalie  kept  her  appointment,  and  safely 
mounted ;  but,  just  as  they  emerged  from  the  shade  of  the 
walls,  and  rode  across  a  broad  strip  of  moonlight,  several 
shots  were  fired  from  the  battlements.  Olivier  hastened 
the  lady  forward ;  they  rode  through  the  wood,  rode  all 
night,  the  knight  cheering  the  lady,  and  expressing  his 
devotion  to  her  all  the  time.  At  last  they  arrived,  just 
as  the  morning  meal  was  commencing  in  all  solemnity  in 
the  hall ;  Rosalie  was  aided  to  dismount,  Olivier  gave  her 
his  hand,  she  wondered  it  was  his  left,  to  lead  her  into 
the   hall ;   he  led  her    to  the   princess's   feet,  and  there 


128  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

sunk  down  and  fainted,  his  right  arm  having  been  broken 
by  the  shot  from  the  battlements. 

It  was  at  that  moment  that  Miss  Townsend  walked 
in,  having  been  taught  to  do  so  fearlessly,  whilst 
Frank  was  at  home.  The  sisters  looked  blank,  she 
could  see  that  she  was  not  wanted ;  she  thought  it 
very  amiable  in  the  Miss  Berners  to  be  so  perfectly  hap- 
py alone  together,  and  resolved  to  disturb  them  no 
more. 

They  did  not  even  miss  her,  or  know  that  it  was  past 
her  hour  for  coming  down,  the  next  evening,  when 
Emmeline  made  the  first  attempt  at  writing  out  the  be- 
ginning of  her  romance,  a  thing  she  found  much  more 
easily  said  than  done.  Her  fine  beginnings  with  '  It  was,' 
would  get  into  a  tangle ;  her  sentences  were  so  intermina- 
ble, that  even  Kate  could  not  find  breath  to  get  through 
them;  and  her  thoughts  went  so  much  faster  than  her 
pen,  that  she  had  not  even  arrived  at  the  commencement 
of  the  conversation  in  which  the  princess  was  to  propose 
the  adventure. 

The  Greek,  the  German,  the  poetry,  the  romance,  al- 
together absorbed  Emmeline  and  Kate. 

They  used  to  sit  in  the  Tower  all  the  morning,  and 
often  all  the  afternoon  too,  reading,  writing,  romancing, 
impatient  of  interruption,  and  unwilling  to  give  a  minute's 
thought  or  time  to  the  despised  world  of  life. 

Their  mother  might  reasonably  speak  in  her  plaintive 
notes  when  she  said  they  were  always  so  engaged,  that  she 
could  never  get  them  for  a  moment ;  Sir  Francis  grum- 
bled in  vain,  and  said  that  he  never  had  any  music,  or 
that*he  did  not  wish  to  see  them  learned  ladies ;  and  as  to 
the  children,  who  had  always  been  used  to  a  ready  wel- 
come and  plenty  of  amusement  in  the  Tower,  they  were 
told  to  run  away,  for  their  sisters  were  busy.  How  it 
fared  with  the  Miss  Shaws,  and  with  the  poor,  has  already 
been  shown  ;  and  it  was  a  deeper,  graver,  and  sadder 
question,  liow  it  fared  with  Emmeline's  and  Kate's  own 
Bouls. 

The  Confirmation,  with  its  attendant  fears  and  hopes 
had  slipped  out  of  their  minds ;   and  had  they  interro- 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  129 

gated  themselves,  tliey  would  have  thought  they  were 
just  the  same  as  they  were  last  year,  at  school;  but 
that  could  scarcely  be,  for  an  opportunity  had  been 
neglected,  and  duties  were  being  left  undone  every  day. 
Last  summer  they  were  in  a  state  of  more  humility  and 
obedience,  and  though  many  of  their  present  errors 
were  owing  to  the  want  of  guidance  in  their  own  family, 
yet  they  were  so  far  their  own  fault,  as  they  had 
neglected  the  means  of  grace  which  might  have  been  a 
safeguard. 

This  seems  like  harsh  treatment  of  slight  faults,  but 
the  question  is,  not  whether  the  faults  are  slight  in  them- 
selves, but  whether  they  are  not  the  greatest  that  can  be 
committed  under  the  circumstances.  Emmeline  and  Kate 
could  hardly  have  done  anything  very  bad,  but  they  did  the 
worst  they  could. 

For  instance,  Emmeline  would  come  down  to  break- 
fast in  a  brown  study,  and  pay  no  attention  to  Sir 
Francis's  particular  likings  as  to  the  mixture  of  green 
and  black  in  his  tea ;  Lady  Willoughby  would  appear 
towards  the  end  of  the  breakfast,  thinking  herself  nervous 
and  unwell,  and  wanting  to  be  petted  and  made  much  of; 
but  Emmeline  being  sure  it  was  only  a  fancy,  would  rise 
and  look  restless  till  Kate  joined  her ;  Miss  Townscnd 
might  have  a  headache,  or  a  distressing  letter  from  home, 
and  sit  in  her  room  exerting  every  faculty  for  the  chil- 
dren, not  relieved  from  them  for  one  quarter  of  an  hour, 
not  refreshed  by  one  word  of  sympathizing  inquiry.  They 
knew  it  not,  but  whose  fault  was  that  ?  Or  she  was  harassed 
by  some  injudicious  petty  regulation  or  interference  from 
Sir  Francis,  which  a  hint  might  have  turned  aside. 
Alfred  might  look  in  vain  for  the  sisters  who  once 
used  to  tell  him  stories  ;  Janet  pined  in  secret  for  love 
and  notice  ;  Edwin  was  boisterous  ;  and  Cecilia  was  an  in- 
terruption. Then,  again.  Lady  Willoughby  was  left  to 
take  her  drive  in  solitude,  while  her  daughters  were  roam- 
ing on  the  sands,  arranging  the  adventures  of  Olivier's 
midnight  ride  ;  they  had  no  ears,  when  she  came  home, 
to  hear  whom  she  had  met,  and  who  had  bowed  to  her ; 
they  had  settled  that  it  was  of  no  use  to  read  to  a  person 
6* 


130  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

who  only  went  to  sleep  ;  and  as  to  conversation,  when  Sir 
Francis  came  in,  he  found  one  with  a  book,  and  the  other 
with  a  dictionary ;  and  if  he  said,  '  Now,  let  us  be  socia- 
ble,' he  was  met  by  '  Do  let  us  finish  this.' 

All  these  neglects  would  not,  perhaps,  happen  in  one 
day ;  it  was  sometimes  their  own  pleasure  to  be  at- 
tentive to  conversation ;  sometimes  it  was  agreeable  to 
play  with  the  little  boys  ;  and  in  their  demeanour  towards 
their  parents,  gentle  dispositions  and  good-breeding  con- 
cealed want  of  respect ;  but  none  who  regard  this  long 
list  of  omissions,  and  recollects  the  pride  of  intellect  and 
disdain  of  aught  but  her  own  romantic  dreams,  which 
Emmeline  was  fostering,  can  think  her  otherwise  than  in  a 
perilous  state  of  mind.  It  could  not  go  on  long ;  and  the 
first  check  was  from  the  inconvenience  of  having  a  fire  in 
the  Tower,  when  the  mornings  became  cold.  The  house- 
maid was  cross,  the  chimney  was  crosser  :  the  damp  was 
said  to  be  brought  out  by  the  fire ;  and  what  in  the  days 
of  Frank  and  Juliet  was  an  excellent  joke,  was  now  un- 
bearable. Emmeline  and  Kate  were  smoked  out  of  the 
Tower ;  and  Sir  Olivier  de  Montmorency  and  the  Lady 
Rosalie  were  smoked  out  of  existence.  To  do  them  in  the 
morning,  with  the  chance  of  Sir  Francis  coming  in,  was 
impossible.  They  gradually  occupied  less  of  Emmeline's 
imagination;  she  ceased  her  researches  into  French  his- 
tory, and  there  was  once  more  a  void  in  her  mind. 

One  autumn  day,  when  the  withered  leaves  were  whirl- 
ing in  the  eddying  gusts  of  wind,  Kate  came  into  the  room 
where  Emmeline  was  standing,  pensively  watching  them, 
with  a  book  hanging  from  her  hand. 

'  Have  you  been  waiting  for  me,  Emmie,  dear  ? '  said 
she.  '  I  was  kept  by  Sir  Francis.  He  is  in  a  fuss  about 
the  rattling  of  the  staircase  window,  and  he  would  keep 
me  to  grumble  to  about  it,  till  I  called  the  housemaid  to 
stop  it.' 

'It  is  not  worth  while,'  said  Emmeline;  '  it  will  do 
just  as  well  to  worry  about  as  anything  else  !      Oh  !  dear  ! ' 

'  I  really  am  afraid  I  have  kept  you  too  long  waiting,' 
said  Kate. 

*  0,  no  !  it  is  not  that ;  I  don't  know  whether  watching 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  131 

the  sere  and  withered  leaf  does  not  suit  me  better  than 
reading.  I  am  tired  of  German,  Kate ;  I  don't  see  the 
use  of  it ;  I  can't  care  for  it  as  Juliet  does.' 

'  It  is  a  disagreeable  dreary  day,  when  one  does  not 
care  for  anything,'  said  Kate,  coming  to  the  window,  and 
throwing  her  arm  round  Emmeline's  waist. 

'  I've  been  thinking  of  all  sorts  of  things  ! '  said  Emme- 
line.  '  People  might  say  I  am  too  young  for  such  thoughts 
as  those  brown  leaves  bring,  about  dreariness,  and  loneli- 
ness, and  fading,  but  it  seems  to  me  that  we  go  floating 
and  eddying  about  on  all  sorts  of  blasts,  just  like  those 
poor  leaves.' 

*  Together  at  least ! '  said  Kate,  '  like  those,'  as  the 
wind  brought  a  twig  bearing  twin  leaves,  which  dashed 
against  the  glass,  and  then  were  whirled  off  again. 

*  Together,  oh  !  yes,  together,'  said  Emmeline,  kissing 
her.  '  Yes,  I  must  not  speak  of  loneliness,  while  I  am  so 
rich  in  my  own  Katie.  But  oh  !  Kate,  it  is  well  for  us 
that  we  have  sister's  love  to  support  us,  for  how  forlorn 
all  would  be  to  us  but  for  each  other.' 

*  Forlorn,  indeed  ! '  said  Kate.  '  0,  yes,  Emmie,  we 
are  all  in  all  to  each  other,  and  these  disappointments — ' 
she  sunk  her  voice,  and  looked  timidly  round, — '  do  but 
make  us  more  precious  to  each  other ! ' 

Emmeline  returned  the  caress,  and  was  silent,  while 
Kate's  head  rested  fondly  on  her  shoulder.  Just  then, 
she  felt  as  Kate  did,  that  she  wanted  no  more,  but  it  was 
a  passing  feeling;  deeply  as  she  loved  her  sister,  there 
was  a  craving  in  her  heart  for  something  more,  something 
satisfying.  So,  when  she  was  in  good  spirits,  she  dwelt 
upon  her  original  vision  of  that  love  which  she  thought 
would  satisfy  her ;  and  the  hero,  suspected  of  a  great 
crime,  received  some  very  important  embellishments. 

Next  came  an  unsatisfactory  account  of  Lord  Herbert ; 
a  return  of  cough,  and  of  oppression  on  the  breath,  which, 
though  Constance  accounted  for  it  as  '  a  fresh  cold,'  could 
not  but  be  considered  as  very  alarming.  The  party  were 
to  spend  the  winter  at  Malta,  and  Emmeline's  weary  wish- 
ings  took  the  form  of  longing  to  be  with  them,  so  as  to  be 
a  comfort  to  Constance,  and  to  see  her  brother-in-law's 
kind  face  and  bright  eyes  once  again. 


132  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

She  and  Kate  settled  that  Lord  Liddesdale  and  Lad^ 
Frances  would  certainly  go  to  see  Herbert,  and  would 
offer  to  take  tbciu,  and  they  would  get  there  just  as  he 
was  recovering,  and  enjoy  themselves.  But  as  they  heard 
of  Lord  Liddesdale  being  laid  up  at  Rowthorpe,  with  a  fit 
of  the  gout,  this  charming  scheme  soon  passed  away. 

The  next  vision  was  suggested  by  reading  Miss  Kava- 
nagh's  beautiful  history  of '  ]Madelcine.'  Home  cares,  home 
annoyancMjs,  should  all  fleet  away,  and  Emmeline  and 
Kate  should  be  the  foundresses  of  such  an  institution  as 
Madeleine's ;  they  would  receive  the  sick  and  poor,  and 
devote  themselves  with  their  whole  hearts  and  souls. 
Constance,  too — it  was  finding  such  a  home,  such  an  occu- 
pation for  her,  as  would  be  a  sort  of  happiness,  if  their 
fears  for  her  husband  were  accomplished — they  would 
make  her  a  sort  of  Lady  Abbess,  and  cling  to  her,  as  they 
used  to  do  in  old  days.  It  somehow  satisfied  them  for 
their  neglect  of  the  poor  of  Herringsby,  to  lodge  the  most 
deserving  of  them,  in  imagination,  in  their  hospital ;  and 
it  should  be  upon  a  mountain,  in  the  free  breezy  air,  in  a 
beautiful  style  of  architecture,  with  a  little  chapel  close  to 
it,  a  school  for  their  orphans,  and  no  Mr.  Dcnham.  It 
became  so  real,  that  Emmeline  and  Kate  counted  the 
years  that  had  to  elapse  before  they  should  both  be  of  age, 
and  able  to  devote  their  fortunes  to  the  purpose ;  but  all 
the  time  they  were  very  comfortably  pleasing  themselves, 
while  they  were  talking  and  dreaming  of  self-devotion. 

It  was  pleasant  to  receive  Frank  from  school,  and  the 
fortnight  before  Christmas  passed  away  without  a  return 
to  the  dreaded  subject.  Sir  Francis  chose  to  give  a  grand 
children's  party,  though  his  lady,  in  secret,  disliked  and 
dreaded  it  so  much,  that  she  would  have  made  Lord  Her- 
bert's illness  an  excuse  for  getting  rid  of  it,  but  for  an  in- 
vitation to  a  dinner-party  the  next  day. 

It  would  probably  have  been  as  great  a  nuisance  to  the 
sisters  as  to  her,  had  not  Frank  warmly  taken  up  the  prep- 
aration, worked  very  hard,  and  made  helping  agreeable  to 
them.  He  managed  that  the  Miss  Shaws,  who  never  went 
to  regular  parties,  should  be  asked  to  this  one,  and  took 
the  two  girls  and  little  Alfred  with  him  to  give  the  invita- 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  133 

tion.  The  good  ladies  were  highly  pleased,  and  as  kind 
as  ever ;  but  not  a  word  was  said  about  the  school. 

The  party  went  olF  well,  and  there  was  a  certain  seren- 
ity about  that  Christmas-tide,  of  which  Emmeline  was 
conscious  when  it  was  over.  Frank  made  her  and  Kate, 
and  sometimes  Alfred,  go  with  him  to  the  Saint's-day  ser- 
vices, at  eleven  o'clock,  and  afterwards  they  had  some  de- 
lightful frosty  walks.  He  could  not  help  talking,  more 
than  once,  of  the  Christmas  delights  of  Dumblethwayte, 
where  his  heart  evidently  was,  as  much  as  ever  ;  and  but 
for  his  always  changing  the  subject  if  ever  the  girls  tried 
to  learn  his  plans,  it  would  have  seemed  that  the  question 
of  the  last  holidays  were  entirely  forgotten. 

It  was  not  however  long  to  remain  so.  One  morning, 
Frank  came  into  the  drawing-room,  and  as  Kate  made 
some  observation,  replied  with  a  churlish  grunt,  which 
caused  Emmeline  to  look  up,  and  observe  a  cloud  on  his 
face.  He  threw  himself  down  in  an  arm-chair,  and  held 
up  the  newspaper  before  him,  but  only  continued  in  this 
manner  for  a  couple  of  moments,  then  springing  up,  said, 
'  Don't  you  want  me  for  some  of  your  Greek  nonsense  ?  ' 

They  were  too  glad  of  the  opportunity,  and  he  had 
never  been  a  pleasanter  master  than  on  that  day.  Homer 
proceeded  more  prosperously  than  he  had  ever  yet  done, 
and  they  were  all  laughing  together  when  Sir  Francis 
came  in,  and  in  the  very  sound  of  his  shutting  the  door, 
Emmeline  perceived  that  he  was  in  a  fume. 

*  Very  merry  you  all  seem  here  ! '  said  he,  with  an 
angry  look  at  his  son,  and  certainly  the  merriment  did 
not  continue.  Frank  bit  his  lip,  his  forehead  contracted 
for  an  instant,  and  then  expanded,  and  he  went  on  looking 
out  a  word  in  the  lexicon. 

'  So  you  are  resolved  to  go  poring  on  with  your 
learning ! '  said  Sir  Francis  to  Kate,  in  a  tone  that  was 
meant  to  be  civil,  but  which  was  full  of  annoyance, 
'  nothing  but  books  all  day  long  for  any  of  you.  Why, 
the  room  is  full  of  books,'  said  he,  glancing  at  the  sofa, 
where  grammars  and  dictionaries  were  lying  heaped 
together. 

Frank  saying  in  a  low  voice  to  Emmeline,  '  Do  you 
want  any  more  of  these  ?  '  began  to  gather  them  up. 


134  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

'  I  don't  want  to  be  treated  like  a  tyrant,  sir,'  said  his 
father.  '  I  want  none  of  this  submission,  as  if  I  was  not 
to  be  spoken  to — I  don't  want  to  interfere  with  your 
sister's  pursuits — it  is  submission  I  want.  Where  is  your 
mother,  Emmeline  ?  ' 

'  In  her  room,'  answered  Emmeline,  who  thought  he 
might  have  known  this  without  coming  to  disturb  them, 
and  away  he  went. 

For  her  life,  Kate  could  not  have  helped  saying, 
*  Oh  !  Frank,  has  he  begun  about  it  again  ? ' 

'  Yes,'  said  or  rather  sighed  Frank,  and  a  silence 
ensued. 

'  You  said  the  same  as  before  ? '  asked  Kate  at  last. 

'  I  don't  know  what  else  to  say,'  said  Frank,  with  a 
deep  sigh.  '  I  can't  say  what  is  not  true,  and  I  can't 
help  it.' 

'  I  wish  I  knew  what  was  to  be  done  ! '  said  Emmeline, 
sorrowfully. 

'  But  do  you  dislike  it  so  very  much,  Frank  ? '  said 
Kate. 

'  I — what  should  I  do — stuck  up  in  London  like  an 
ape  in  a  scarlet  coat,  with  nothing  to  do  but  to  be  a  fine 
gentleman  ?  But,  however,  that's  not  the  point,'  said 
Frank,  recalling  himself;  'if  that  was  all,  I  suppose  I 
could  bring  my  mind  to  find  something  tolerable  in  it — at 
any  rate  I  should  be  quit  of  an  awful  lot  of  Latin  and 
Greek — but  'tis  the  being  obliged  to  say  one  likes  it 
better  than  the  other.  But  it  is  of  no  use  to  talk  about 
it.  I  shall  go  and  see  if  Alfred  has  done  his  lessons,  and 
take  him  out  for  a  walk.' 

From  this  time,  if  the  argument  itself  was  not  per- 
petually going  on,  the  efi"ect  on  Sir  Francis's  temper 
was.  Frank  could  say  or  do  nothing  but  what  was 
displeasing ;  cheerfulness  provoked  him,  silence  was 
supposed  to  be  sullenness,  obligingness  was  hypocrisy. 
He  was  called  perverse,  obstinate,  ungrateful,  and,  worse 
than  all.  Sir  Francis  took  to  calling  himself  a  fool  for 
having  allowed  him  to  spend  his  holidays  at  Dumble- 
thwayte,  and,  in  unmeasured  terms,  found  fault  with 
those  views  which  he  believed  to  be  at  the  bottom  of 
Frank's  opposition. 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  135 

Emraeline  and  Kate  used  to  grow  very  a,ngry,  and 
long  to  say  something — for  all  this  was  almost  as  much 
against  Lord  Herbert  as  against  Mr.  Willoughby — but 
they  never  dared  ;  they  could  only  watch  Frank  anxiously, 
and  sympathize  with  him  in  their  hearts,  though  he  would 
not  let  them  do  so  outwardly. 

How  he  bore  it  was  to  them  a  perfect  marvel,  worried 
as  he  was  about  whatever  he  did,  and  whatever  he  did 
not  do  ;  and  they  did  not  guess  at  half  of  the  pain  which 
this  occasioned  him — how  much  more  his  deeper  sense  of 
reverence  suffered  from  these  sayings  of  his  father,  how 
much  more  strong  his  feeling  was  for  the  blame  cast  upon 
his  uncle,  how  grievous  were  the  doubts  whether  he  was 
failing  in  duty,  or  which  was  the  superior  duty.  Besides, 
Frank  had  not  naturally  the  sweet  buoyant  temper  that 
can  throw  off  vexation,  and  scarce  feel  it,  except  at  the 
moment,  and  had  he  given  way  to  his  impulse,  he  would 
hardly  have  done  anything  but  sit  brooding  over  his 
provocations,  or  repaying  unkindness  with  sullen  silence  ; 
but  so  carefully  did  he  guard  against  this  disposition,  that 
it  never  appeared  except  in  a  sort  of  constraint  in  his 
voice,  when  forced  to  speak  in  answer  to  some  soft 
persuasion  of  Lady  "Willoughby,  or  to  some  annoying 
reproach  of  his  father. 

He  was  always  ready  to  interest  himself  in  their 
pursuits ;  he  played  with  the  children,  told  Alfred  what 
he  would  have  to  do  at  school,  kept  Kate  up  to  her  good 
behaviour  to  Miss  Townsend,  and  though  he  did  not  make 
fun  on  his  own  account  as  usual,  he  was  always  ready 
with  some  quaint  answer. 

It  was  one  Sunday  afternoon,  towards  the  beginning 
of  February,  that  an  almost  forgotten  subject  was  recalled 
to  Emmeline  and  Kate,  by  hearing  Mr.  Brent  give  notice 
of  a  Confirmation,  to  be  held  soon  after  Easter,  desiring 
the  candidates  to  come  to  him  in  the  intermediate  time 
for  preparation. 

'  Well,  I  am  glad  of  that,'  said  Frank,  as  he  walked 
home  with  Emmeline.  '  I  was  getting  ashamed  of  you 
two.' 

'  Should  you  be  more  ashamed  if  I  told  you  I  was 
rather  sorry  ?  '  said  Emmeline. 


136  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

'  I  am  ashamed  that  you  don't  know  any  better,'  said 
Frank. 

*  I  don't  think  it  is  so  much  knowing  as  feeling,'  said 
Erameline,  sadly. 

'  Feeling  goes  for  nothing,'  said  Frank. 

*  So  people  say,'  answered  Emmeline  ;  '  but  all  I  can 
feel  is  that  I  am  very  much  afraid,  more  so  now  than  last 
year.' 

'  And  so  you  will  go  on  getting  more  afraid  every  year 
of  your  life,  the  longer  you  put  it  off.  But  luckily  you 
can't  do  that.' 

'  No,  because  no  one  else  does,  but  that  makes  it 
worse.  I  can't  bear  the  thought  of  doing  such  a  thing 
only  because  it  is  the  fashion.' 

'  If  it  does  other  people  good,  why  should  it  not  do  it 
to  you  ? ' 

'  It  is  a  foolish  question,  perhaps  a  wrong  one,'  said 
Emmeline,  '  but  I  should  really  like  to  hear  some  one  say 
they  knew  it  had  done  them  good  individually.' 

'  One  must  believe  it,  not  only  feel,'  said  Frank. 

'  Take  it  on  trust  ?     I  don't  like  that  always.' 

'  You  ought,  then,'  said  Frank,  and  there  was  a  silence, 
as  if  he  had  done  with  the  subject.  But  presently,  while 
Emmeline  was  feeling  discontented,  and  wondering  if  he 
thought  very  ill  of  her,  he  said,  in  an  odd  blunt  way,  '  I 
want  to  make  you  see  it  and  wish  it,  Emmie,  and  I  don't 
know  how.  Will  it  do  you  any  good,  I  wonder,  to  tell 
you  what  I  think  of  it  myself  ?  ' 

'  0,  pray  do,'  said  Emmeline. 

'  Well,  then,  I  don't  know  or  remember  how  much  I 
felt  or  cared  about  my  Confirmation  at  the  time,  a  great 
deal  too  little,  considering  all  the  pains  that  were  taken 
with  me,  but  this  I  do  know,  that  I  should  be  a  dozen 
times  worse  than  I  am  now  without  it — and  as  to  getting 
through  all  this — this  fuss,  this  affair — I — I  am  quite 
sure  I  could  not  do  it  at  all.' 

'  Only  being  confirmed  !  '  said  Emmeline. 

'  No ;  you  know  what  more  I  mean.  You  can't  get 
on  without  that — in  or  out  of  trouble,  so  I  only  hope  you 
won't  dawdle  out  of  Confirmation  again.  If  you  are 
afraid  now,  you  will  be  ashamed  another  time.' 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  137 

'  But  Frank,  is  not  that — I  beg  your  pardon,  for  I  am 
sure  you  are  right — but  is  not  that  putting  one's  trust  in 
forms  and  ordinances  ?  ' 

'  Stuff,  Emmie,  you  learnt  that  of  the  Miss  Shaws,  I 
suppose.  No  more  than  it  is  for  the  beggar  to  ring  the 
bell  at  the  gate.  I  should  not  have  expected  that  of  a 
person  who  stands  up  for  the  Catechism.  It  is  not  all, 
but  if  it  can't  be  without  it,  it  is  the  means,  as  the 
Catechism  says,  and  that's  it.' 

Emmeline  thought,  and  the  confused  words  penetrated 
her  understanding.  She  was  silent  for  soma  time,  and 
tlien  said,  '  It  certainly  will  be  a  great  pity  if  you  are  not 
a  Clergyman.' 

'  Never  mind,'  said  Frank. 

She  told  Kate  what  had  passed,  adding  that  Frank 
seemed  so  much  in  earnest,  that  she  thought  his  blundering 
way  would  go  further  than  many  more  clear  and  lucid 
statements  ;  but  they  agreed  in  a  great  dread  of  going  to 
Mr.  Brent,  and  hoped  that  he  would  allow  their  old 
Confirmation- tickets  to  serve  without  a  second  examina- 
tion. 

On  Monday  morning  the  girls  were  surprised  by  the 
entrance  of  Sir  Francis,  looking  more  amiable  than  for  a 
long  time  past. 

'  Well,  my  dears,'  said  he,  '  you  must  give  me  joy — 
you  must  give  the  young  guardsman  joy — he  has  come  to 
his  senses  at  last — given  up  his  nonsense,  and  now  all  is 
right ! ' 

Emmeline  opened  her  eyes  wide  in  consternation,  she 
was  very  sorry  that  Frank  should  have  yielded  to  per- 
secution. Kate's  first  idea  was  on  the  contrary,  that  the 
torment  was  over,  and  her  '  Indeed  ! '  was  therefore  a 
pleased  one. 

'  Yes,  he  has  yielded,  and  with  a  good  grace  at  last,' 
said  Sir  Francis.  '  I  was  sure  when  he  had  seen  a  little 
more  of  the  world,  and  knew  what  my  proposal  was,  he 
never  could  stick  to  that  boyish  fancy ;  all  very  well  for 
a  boy  who  had  never  looked  beyond  the  hills  of  Dumble- 
thwayte,  but  we  know  better  what  is  worth  having  now. 
don't  we,  Katie  ? ' 


138  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

Lady  Willougliby  here  came  down,  and  she  kissed 
Frank  as  she  told  him  that  she  was  so  rejoiced,  but  that 
she  had  been  sure  from  the  first  that  his  affectionate 
nature  would  yield  to  their  united  wishes. 

To  which  Frank  answered.  '  Thank  you,  ma'am,'  and 
then  Sir  Francis  proceeded  to  orate  on  the  steps  he  was 
going  to  take. 

Emmeline  was  decidedly  vexed,  and  as  soon  as  she  left 
the  breakfast-room,  throwing  herself  down  on  the  sofa  in 
the  drawing-room,  began  to  exclaim  to  herself  that  con- 
stancy was;  not  in  man. 

Kate  came  in  about  ten  minutes  after,  and  with  her 
came  Frank.  Had  the  conversation  depended  on  Frank 
or  Emmeline,  not  one  word  would  have  been  said,  but 
Kate,  more  curious  and  venturesome  in  her  sympathy, 
was  the  first  to  say,  '  0,  Frank ! '  and  there  stopped. 

'  0,  Frank ! '  said  Emmeline,  and  she,  too,  stopped. 

'Well,'  said  Frank,  as  if  he  would  fain  have  smiled 

'  You  have  given  it  up  ! '  said  Kate. 

*  Yes,  I  suppose — '  he  leant  against  the  window,  and 
spoke  low — '  I  suppose  I  was  not  good  enough.' 

'  But  what  did  you  say  ?'  continued  Kate. 

'  I  said  I  would  try  to  like  it,  and  1  had  no  doubt  I 
should  in  time.' 

Emmeline  watched  him  intently,  but  as  his  face  was 
against  the  window,  she  could  see  nothing  but  part  of  a 
very  red  cheek  and  ear. 

'  We  shall  be  comfortable  now,'  said  Kate. 

'  That  was  not  your  reason,  though,'  cried  Emmeline, 
springing  up,  '  was  it,  Frank  ?  You  would  never  have 
yielded  to  persecution.' 

'  Nonsense  about  persecution,'  said  Frank,  gruffly. 

'  But  you  yielded  because  you  thought  it  right.' 

'  I've  no  business  to  hold  out  against  my  father,'  said 
he,  and  walked  off. 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS,  139 


CHAPTER  XII. 


At  sultry  evening's  fall, 
The  gorgeous  lines  be  duly  shewn, 

That  weave  Heaven's  wondrous  pall ; 
Calm  be  his  sleep  whose  eyelids  close 

Upon  so  fair  a  sight. 

LyKA   iNNOCENTniM. 


For  the  first  few  days  after  Frank  bad  come  to  his  de- 
cision, there  was  universal  satisfaction,  and  even  Emme- 
line  could  not  help  being  sensible  of  the  great  relief  from 
Sir  Francis'"s  ill  humor. 

There  was  a  good  deal  of  occupation  too,  of  another 
kind ;  Alfred  was  going  to  school,  and  preparations  made 
them  all  very  busy. 

His  father  took  him  to  school,  and  afterwards  went  on 
with  Frank  to  London,  to  make  his  proposed  arrangements, 
and  it  was  not  till  then,  that  Emmeline  had  leisure  for  a 
great  fit  of  weariness  and  craving  ;  she  rather  believed  at 
present  that  it  was  for  Constance.  There  was  good  reason 
for  thinking  much  of  Constance,  for  the  accounts  of  Lord 
Herbert  were  unfavorable,  and  there  seemed  to  be  so  much 
present  suffering,  that  willing  as  the  sisters  were  to  close 
their  eyes  to  the  danger,  they  could  not  but  be  much 
grieved. 

The  gloom  did  not  disperse  when  Sir  Francis  and  his 
son  returned ;  Frank  was  graver  and  more  at  a  loss  for 
occupation,  as  if  the  interest  of  his  life  had  been  taken 
uway.  He  wrote  often  to  his  uncle,  but  Emmeline  and 
Kate  soon  found  that  he  could  not  speak  of  Dumble* 


»^tO  THE    CASTLE   BUILDERS. 

tliwayte,  and  though  he  walked  with  them  as  good- 
naturedly  as  ever,  he  would  sometimes  go  three  parts  of 
the  way  in  absolute  silence,  or  sit  with  the  newspaper  be- 
fore him  half  the  morning  without  speaking ;  and  as  on 
these  occasions  he  seemed  best  pleased  when  the  girls 
were  practising  their  music,  they  played  much  more  than 
they  had  done  for  some  time. 

Pie,  however,  was  doing  his  best  to  give  his  mind  to 
his  destined  profession ;  he  listened  and  answered  cheer- 
fully when  his  father  discoursed  about  it,  and  of  his  own 
accord,  asked  Kate  if  she  should  dislike  the  trouble  of 
teaching  him  French.  She  was  delighted  to  consent,  and 
a  very  slow  scholar  she  found  him  ;  and  the  marvellous 
attempts  he  made  to  pronounce  the  French  words,  which 
he  began  by  reading  just  like  Latin,  were  the  cause  of 
laughter,  which  did  them  all  good.  Also  he  brought  out 
his  mathematics,  of  which  Emmeline  and  Kate,  whose 
school  had  taught  everything,  just  understood  so  much 
that  they,  being  clever  girls,  could  soon  surpass  a  boy  who 
was  far  from  clever ;  and  as  they  took  it  up  keenly,  all 
three  launched  into  Euclid  together,  with  great  satisfac- 
tion, Emmeline  rushing  on  from  proposition  to  proposition, 
fancying  she  understood  all,  but  often  '  brought  up,'  as 
Frank  called  it,  when  obliged  to  make  things  clear  to 
him.  Those  were  by  no  means  unpleasant  hours  that 
they  spent  together  over  triangles,  circles,  and  parallel 
lines,  though  they  generally  ended  in  extensive  yawns. 

All  might  have  done  very  well,  and  Frank's  own  ener- 
getic spirit  would  surely  have  soon  made  him  happy,  but  it 
soon  appeared  that  even  his  sacrifice  had  not  contented 
his  father.  It  has  already  been  said,  that  Sir  Francis 
fancied  those  religious  views  which  he  found  so  much 
more  prevalent  in  England  than  previously,  had  been  the 
cause  of  his  son's  reluctance  to  fulfil  his  wishes ;  and, 
instead  of  being  indifferent  to  them,  or  treating  them  with 
a  sort  of  dignified  superiority,  as  before,  in  the  case  of 
Lord  Herbert,  he  began  to  rail  against  them,  as  exempli- 
fied in  the  masters  of  Frank's  school,  and  in  Mr.  Brent. 
Very  painful  things  did  he  both  say  and  do,  and  to  hear 
him  approach  the  subject  was  dreaded  by  all  the  threo 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  141 

young  people  ;  Mr.  Brent's  manner  of  conducting  the 
service,  his  daily  prayers,  and  weekly  Communions,  were 
all  matters  of  reprobation,  especially  when  Lent  began, 
and  the  services  were  more  frequent. 

Worse  than  all,  he  began  to  regard  Frank's  constant 
attendance  on  these  ordinances  as  a  perverse  clinging  to 
his  former  intentions ;  and  Emmeline  saw,  Sunday  after 
Sunday,  with  a  sort  of  terror,  how  his  face  darkened  when 
Frank  and  Miss  Townsend  were  left  in  Church.  The 
daily  morning  service  was  so  early,  as  to  remove  Frank's 
attendance  from  his  notice  ;  but  on  several  occasions, 
when  it  was  later,  he  had  shown  considerable  annoyance. 
Once  he  said  to  him,  '  Remember,  you  are  not  a  parson 
now,  Frank !  '  another  time,  '  Sticking  to  the  old  shop 
still ! '  or,  '  Always  at  it ! ' 

Emmeline  was  sure  a  storm  was  gathering,  and  won- 
dered whether  Frank,  whom  she  considered  as  having 
once  given  away,  would  still  be  firm.  One  fine  bright 
Wednesday  towards  the  latter  part  of  March,  Kate  and 
Frank  were  gone  to  Church,  when  Sir  Francis  came  into 
the  drawing-room  hastily  asking  for  Frank. 

'  He  is  gone  out  with  Kate,'  she  said, 

'  You  need  not  try  to  mince  matters,'  said:  Sir  Fran- 
cis; '  to  Church,  I  suppose?  ' 

Then  followed  what  sounded  to  Emmeline  so  like 
what  school-children  call  a  bad  word,  that  she  felt  her 
colour  flush  and  go  away  again,  in  horror. 

'  It  shall  not  go  on !  it  shall  not ! '  proceeded  Sir 
Francis,  as  he  hastily  opened  the  drawers  of  the  table, 
and  shut  them  up  again  with  a  violent  noise.  '  I'll  make 
him  know  that  I  am  to  be  obeyed,  heart  and  soul,  as  well 
as  outwardly.  Did  you  ever  see  anything  more  perverse, 
more  ungrateful,  than  that  boy,  after  all  I  have  done  for 
him,  after  pretending  to  give  up  this  absurd  notion,  after 
I  have  talked  to  him  till  I  am  sick  of  it,  to  be  going  after 
that  Church — that  Church  for  ever — and  that  Brent,  with 
his  new-fangled  fancies — when  he  knows  my  opinion  ?  I 
tell  you,  Emmeline,  it  is  perverseness,  pure  perverseness, 
and  that  is  the  reason  I  have  no  patience  with  it !  Just 
tell  me,  did  you  ever  hear  of  the  boy  in  your  life  that 


142  THE    CASTLE   BUILDERS. 

would  go  to  Church  when  ho  could  help  it  ?  No,  no ;  'tis 
nothing  on  earth  but  obstinacy,  and  he  shall  see  if  I  will 
suffer  it.  I  am  sure  the  plague,  the  disappointment  that 
young  fellow  has  been  to  me — ' 

Emmeline,  though  not  venturing  to  say  a  word,  was 
rejoiced  to  be  the  receiver  of  his  wrath,  since  she  knew 
that  it  was  often  exhausted  in  this  manner  before  the 
actual  subject  came  in  his  way,  nor  was  she  on  this  oc- 
casion mistaken  ;  a  visitor  luckily  came,  and  stayed  to 
luncheon,  and  his  displeasure  had  passed  away  before  the 
family  were  alone  together. 

This  was,  however,  only  the  first  clap  of  thunder  ;  the 
next  followed  on  Lady-Day,  when  the  service  being  longer 
than  they  had  expected,  they  did  not  return  till  the 
luncheon  bell  had  actually  rung. 

The  girls  ran  up  in  haste,  threw  off  their  bonnets,  and 
came  down  again,  but  before  they  reached  the  foot  of  the 
stairs  they  heard  Sir  Francis's  voice.  Emmeline  would 
almost  have  turned  back,  but  Kate  pressed  on,  and  they 
entered  the  dining-room.  Frank  stood  by  the  fire,  his 
elbow  on  the  mantel-piece,  and  resting  his  forehead  on  his 
hand,  while  his  father,  leaning  back  in  his  chair,  and 
almost  stammering  with  passion,  was  pouring  out  a  whole 
torrent  of  reproaches  against  his  brother,  Mr.  Brent  and 
his  whole  system,  as  well  as  against  Frank. 

Frank  stood  the  whole  time  in  the  same  attitude,  till 
his  father,  having  stormed  on  for  a  considerable  time,  at 
last  began  to  find  fault  with  his  silence,  and  called  on  him 
to  answer. 

Then  he  looked  up,  and  said,  '  I  don't  know  how.' 

'  Don't  pretend  not  to  know  what  I  expect,'  said  his 
father.     '  Obedience  is  what  I  require.' 

'  Then,  sir,  I  am  sorry  to  say  I  cannot  obey  you  in 
this.' 

*  Frank,  my  dear  boy  ! '  said  Lady  AVilloughby  ;  '  now, 
Sir  Francis,  I  do  beg  you  will  let  us  have  a  little  con- 
versation together.' 

'  Not  a  bit  of  use,'  said  Sir  Francis,  '  he  is  as  obstinate 
as  a  mule ;  feels  no  more  what  I  have  done  for  him 
than—' 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  143 

'  I  am  sure,'  said  Lady  Willoughby,  actually  taking  the 
trouble  to  rise,  ai:)proacb  Frank,  and  take  bis  band,  '  I  am 
sure  be  is  actuated  by  tbe  best  of  motives,  and  tbat  on 
reflection,  a  little  over-scrupulousness  must  give  way  to 
your  wishes.  These  scenes  are  so  very  trying  to  one's 
feelings  !  '  added  she,  with  tears  in  her  eyes,  '  and  we 
know  already  how  dear  Frank  can  sacrifice  bis  own  wishes 
to  ours.' 

Frank  drew  bis  hand  from  hers,  and  raised  his  head ; 
'  I  gave  up  my  wishes  then,'  said  he,  'because  they  were 
only  wishes  ;   I  cannot  give  up  my  duty.' 

'  Your  duty  ! '  e^Lclaimed  Sir  Francis ;  '  and  do  you 
pretend  to  stand  there  and  tell  me  I  am  no  judge  of  your 
duty  ?  I  should  think  your  uncle  at  least  might  have 
taught  you  to  obey  your  father  ;  but  I  suppose  that  is  not 
a  part  of  your  new-fashioned  doctrine  ! ' 

All  Kate's  fears  could  not  keep  her  from  exclaiming, 
O,  Sir  Francis !  recollect  what  he  has  given  up.' 

'  Given  up  !  As  if  a  curacy  of  sixty  pounds  a-year 
was  a  sacrifice  to  be  thrown  in  my  face  in  the  place  of 
what  I  would  do  for  him  !  I  hate  such  hypocrisy  and 
ingratitude  !  Hankering  after  it  all  the  time,  as  if  it  was 
on  purpose  to  provoke  me.' 

'  I  have  done  my  best,  as  you  know,  to  do  as  you  wish,' 
said  Frank,  '  and  honestly,  I  am  much  obliged  to  you, 
and  can  look  forward  to  the  plan  with  some  pleasure 
now.' 

*  You  hear  him  !  There  are  all  the  thanks  he  gives  me 
for  what  any  other  youth  would  have  gone  down  on  his 
knees  to  his  father  to  do  for  him  !  It  makes  me  sick  to 
bear  it ! ' 

'  I  am  very  sorry,  Sir,'  said  Frank,  '  that  you — ' 

'  Sorry  ;  well  then,  show  it.     Deeds,  not  words  ! ' 

'  Then,  Sir,  I  must  say  again,  and  once  for  all,'  said 
Frank,  speaking  more  readily  than  Emmeline  thought  he 
could  have  done,  '  that  you  do  not  know  what  you  are 
doing  in  requiring  me  to  give  these  things  up.  I  have 
been  brought  up  to  know  that  if  I  yielded  this  to  you,  I 
should  be  doing  wrong,  and  soon  should  do  worse.  If  I 
have  said  what  was  wrong ;  if  I  have  given  you  reason  to 


144  THE    CASTLE   BUILDERS. 

think  mc  ungrateful,  or  obstinate,  I  beg  your  pardon  ;  I 
do  not  mean  to  be  so,  and  I  am  very  sorry  for  any  suUen- 
ness  I  may  have  sho^Yn,  but  this  I  cannot  give  up.' 

There  was  a  silence  when  Frank  had  ceased  speaking ; 
even  Sir  Francis  did  not  reply  for  some  moments,  and 
Frank  was  emboldened  to  step  nearer  to  him,  and  hold- 
ing out  his  hand,  to  say,  '  Then  you  forgive  me  ?  ' 

'  Foolery,  sir !  '  said  Sir  Francis,  pushing  away  his 
hand  indignantly.  '  You  think  to  stop  my  mouth  with 
sermons  and  hypocrisy,  do  you  ?  but  I'll  have  none  of  it. 
I  wash  my  hands  of  you.  You  may  go  off  to  your  uncle, 
and  have  done  with  it,  if  you  have  no  better  submission 
than  this.' 

Angrily  shoving  his  chair  back  from  the  table,  Sir 
Francis  left  the  room  by  one  door ;  Frank  turned,  and 
with  equal  precipitation,  departed  by  the  other ;  Lady 
Willoughby  sat  and  cried,  and  said  these  scenes  were  so 
distressing  to  her  feelings,  and  she  wished  Sir  Francis 
and  his  son  would  settle  their  disputes  by  themselves. 
There  never  would  be  any  peace  while  Frank  was  in  the 
house,  and  her  nerves  would  never  recover  it.  Emmeline, 
who  knew  it  was  useless  to  attempt  to  talk  reason  to  her, 
soothed  her  as  well  as  she  could.  Kate  consoled  her  for 
the  coldness  of  the  untasted  luncheon,  and  after  persuad- 
ing her  to  eat  and  drink  as  usual,  saw  her  go  to  dress  for 
her  drive,  and  promised  to  send  the  nurse,  with  little 
Cecilia,  to  go  out  with  her. 

*  And  now,  what  shall  we  do  ? '  asked  Kate  of  her 
sister. 

'0,  I  don't  know,  I  don't  feel  much  in  tune  for 
anything;  I  wonder  what  poor  Frank  has  done  with 
himself.' 

'  Miss  Townsend  asked  me,'  said  Kate,  '  whether  we 
should  dislike  taking  Edwin  out  with  us  this  afternoon. 
She  said  Janet  was  so  uncomfortable  with  her  cold,  which 
means  fretful,  I  suppose,  that  she  did  not  like  to  leave 
her.' 

'  Yes,  very  well,'  said  Emmeline.  '  It  will  be  rather  a 
comfort,  for  there  is  no  pleasure  in  talking  or  thinking  of 
anything.' 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  l45 

Accordingly  Edwin  was  called,  and  delighted  by  hear- 
ing that  he  was  to  go  down  to  the  beach  with  his  sisters. 
Just  as  they  were  setting  off,  he  saw  Frank,  with  his  arms 
folded,  pacing  up  and  down  the  garden  walks. 

'  May  not  Frank  come  too  ? '  asked  the  little  fellow. 

'  0  yes,  if  he  likes,'  said  Emmeline,  '  only  take  care, 
Edwin  dear,  perhaps  he  had  rather  not  be  interrupted.' 

But  though  Edwin  had  long  since  learnt  that  sister 
Emmie  did  not  like  interruption,  it  was  a  lesson  which  he 
had  never  been  taught  by  brother  Frank,  so  he  bounded 
across  the  green  to  him,  pulled  down  his  hand,  and  told 
him,  '  Sisters  and  I  are  going  down  to  the  sea,  and  you 
must  come  too.' 

'  Must  I,'  said  Frank,  letting  himself  be  pulled  on. 
*  "Why,  Eddy,  you  go  at  me  like  a  wild  horse.' 

Edwin  took  up  the  idea,  and  instantly  became  an 
imaginary  wild  horse,  with  great  tossings  of  the  head  and 
kickings  of  the  heels. 

Frank  joined  them,  without  one  word  on  his  troubles , 
and  by  general  consent  they  all  gave  themselves  up  to 
amuse  little  Edwin.  They  raced,  they  skipped,  they  ran 
on  for  Edwin  to  catch  them,  they  were  his  horses,  his 
hounds,  his  elephants  or  his  camels. 

None  of  them,  ftnd  Frank  least  of  all,  had  quite  left 
childhood  behind  them,  and  the  glory  of  the  sunny  spring 
day  shed  itself  over  them,  as  it  did  over  their  little  com- 
panion, or  over  the  birds  and  flowers,  in  free,  careless,  un- 
thinking glee.  There  was  the  blue  sky  overhead,  the  sun 
sliining  as  if  it  would  set  everything  in  enamel,  the  broad 
white  sands  spread  out,  the  blue  capes,  clearer  than  ever 
they  had  seen  them  before,  stretching  far  away  in  the  dis- 
tance ;  the  glorious  sea,  with  its  tracts  of  different-tinted 
lights,  the  little  rippling  waves  each  tipped  with  gold,  the 
white  line  of  breaking  waves  on  the  coast — how  could  any 
one  be  sad  in  such  a  scene  ?  Edwin  stretched  out  both 
his  arms  and  fairly  laughed  aloud,  and  either  at  him,  or 
from  the  same  feeling,  the  others  laughed  too — Frank  and 
Kate  first,  and  then  Emmeline,  though  she  wondered  more 
at  them  and  at  herself,  and  while  she  gave  herself  up  like 
them  to  the  '  abando?i^  of  complete  enjoyment,  it  was  with 


146  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

the  feeling  '  I  will  be  a  silly  child  for  once  in  my  life  ! ' 
They  found  a  cove  some  way  on,  quite  shut  in  with  rocks, 
and  which  they  had  all  to  themselves,  and  there  they 
looked  for  shells ;  they  found  sea-anemones  in  the  pools 
under  the  rocks,  and  made  them  shut  and  expand ;  they 
played  each  other  tricks  with  long  pieces  of  wet  sea-weed, 
they  ran  after  the  waves,  and,  finally,  united  their  efforts 
to  raise  a  grand  castle  of  sand,  as  earnestly  as  if  it  was 
the  one  great  purpose  of  their  lives. 

Too  happy  were  they  to  take  any  note  of  time,  till  just 
as  a  tall  flag  was  planted  on  the  summit  of  the  castle,  and 
Edwin  was  clapping  his  hands  in  delight,  Emmeline  looked 
up,  and  exclaimed,  '  How  fast  the  tide  is  coming  in.' 

'  "We  shall  have  a  race  with  it,'  said  Frank.  '  Come, 
Edwin,  that  must  do.' 

The  waves  were,  in  fact,  advancing  very  fast,  and 
there  was  but  a  narrow  space  left  between  them  and  the 
projecting  promontory  of  rock  which  formed  the  boundary 
of  the  little  bay. 

'  0  Frank,'  said  the  little  boy,  'just  let  me  see  that 
great  wave  knock  down  the  tower.' 

*  No,  no,  Eddy,'  said  Emmeline,  beginning  to  get  into 
a  fright,  *  we  shan't  get  home  to-night,  if  we  stop  now. 
Come  along — '  • 

'Here,  give  me  your  hand,'  said  Frank;  'lot  Katie 
and  Frank  swing  you  along  fast — there  ! ' 

They  drew  him  on  fast — faster ;  Emmeline  could 
scarcely  keep  up  with  them,  for  her  breath  grew  tight 
under  a  sensation  of  terror,  at  the  thought  that  this  was 
but  the  first  of  a  series  of  such  coves,  which  must  be 
passed,  ere  they  could  reach  the  place  where  the  path  led 
upwards  from  the  beach.  The  space  which  had  appeared 
so  short  when  they  had  trodden  it  just  before,  now  spread 
itself  out  into  an  interminable  length  ;  and  there  were 
the  waves  rolling  nearer  and  nearer,  and  spreading  out  a 
whole  field  of  water  in  front,  as  if  in  eagerness  to  take 
possession  of  the  fast  lessening  sand.  They  reached  the 
rocks,  the  sand  before  them  had  already  been  once  cov- 
ered, and  tliey  were  obliged  to  run  fast  while  the  wave 
was  retreating.    Kate  gasped  with  fear  and  want  of  breath 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  147 

Edwin  said  he  was  tired,  and  Frank  took  him  in  his  arms, 
while  the  sisters  in  silence  locked  their  hands  fast  together. 

On  they  went  without  a  word — the  rocks  which  they 
were  next  to  pass,  did  not  project  equally  far ;  but  before 
they  could  reach  them,  the  sea  had  won  the  race,  and  a 
wave  had  already  broken  against  the  farthest  advanced. 

Now  there  was  an  interval,  while  the  third,  the  most 
resolute  wave,  was  gathering  its  force — Frank  looked  at 
the  girls ;  '  There  is  time,'  he  said ;  '  don't  hurry  too 
much.'  And  he  hastened  on  through  the  shallow  water 
steadily — they  followed  closely,  feeling  the  danger  a  real- 
ity indeed  as  the  waters  rose  above  their  shoes. 

They  were  on  dry  sand  again,  within  another  such 
little  bay;  but  here  Frank  first  stood  still,  then  faced 
about,  and  looked  at  them,  and  they  perceived,  with  a 
thrill  such  as  they  could  never  forget,  that  it  was  bound- 
ed on  the  other  side  by  a  very  far  projecting  wall  of  rock, 
against  the  outer  end  of  which  the  waves  were  already 
dashing  and  rebounding  in  white  spray. 

'  0,  Frank,  Frank  ! '  exclaimed  Kate. 

'  Hush ! '  said  Frank.  '  Perhaps  there  is  some  way 
of  climbing  up.' 

And -setting  his  little  brother  down,  he  was  running 
to  what  ajDpeared  the  most  practicable  part,  when  Edwin 
screamed  out,  '  0,  Frank,  don't  go  away.' 

Frank  stepped  back,  '  No,  Edwin,  I  won't ;  I  want  to 
try  if  we  can  get  home  over  that  great  rock,'  said  he,  in 
the  same  quiet,  good-natured  tone  he  always  used  with 
the  children,  and  Edwin  seemed  satisfied  to  remain,  hold- 
ing Kate's  hand.  They  breathlessly  watched,  as  Frank, 
raising  himself,  clambering,  twisting,  and  seeming  some- 
times to  hang  upon  but  one  hand,  mounted  the  slippery 
rock.  It  did  not  last  long,  he  soon  swung  himself  down 
again,  and  tried  another  place,  and  another,  but  with 
equally  ill  success,  and  at  last  he  came  back  to  them, 
shaking  his  head,  and  looking  at  his  watch.  They  had 
been  obliged,  while  watching  him,  to  retreat  some  space 
from  the  waves,  giving  ground  almost  unconsciously  ;  and 
now  that  they  looked  back,  it  was  fearful  to  see  how  much 
smaller  was  the  space  of  sand  behind  them,  than  when 
they  had  first  entered  their  ever-narrowing  prison. 


148  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

'Where  is  high-water  mark?'  said  Emmelinc,  speak- 
ing for  the  first  time. 

They  looked  round,  but  there  was  no  portion  of  the 
sand  that  did  not  appear  to  have  been  recently  covered, 
and  there  was  a  fringe  of  sea-weeds  at  the  very  foot  of  the 
rocks. 

'  I  am  sure  I  have  seen  this  cove  full  of  water  ! '  said 
Kate. 

There  came  a  silence  upon  them  all.  Emmeline  looked, 
as  if  fascinated,  at  the  curling  waves,  which  rolled  over 
and  dashed  into  foam  with  a  monotonous  sound,  advancing 
steadily  and  surely.  Kate  was  even  obliged  to  draw  her 
out  of  the  way,  when  the  sand  on  which  she  had  been 
standing  was  overflowed. 

'  I  want  to  go  home,'  said  Edwin,  breaking  the  silence. 

'  I  am  afraid  we  cannot  just  yet,'  said  Frank.  *  We 
must  wait  till  the  water  will  let  us  go.' 

'Are  you  frightened?'  said  Edwin,  looking  up  at 
Kate's  face.  •  '  I  am  not,'  and  then  he  suddenly  threw  his 
arm  around  her  waist,  and  hid  his  face  in  her  dress. 

Kate  put  her  arm  round  his  neck,  and  embraced  him 
fast;   Emmeline  then  spoke — '  When  will  it  be  full  tide  ?' 

'  Not  for  two  hours — it  has  to  rise  a  great  deal  higher 
yet,'  said  Frank. 

'  Can  nothing  be  done  1 '  said  Emmeline.  '  Will  no- 
body hear  us  ? ' 

'  I  had  not  thought  of  that,'  said  Frank,  and  he  shouted 
as  loud  as  he  could  several  times  ;  but  no  sound  was  heard 
in  answer,  except  the  dull  dash  of  the  ruthless  sea. 

'  Could  not  we  climb  a  little  way  at  least?'  said  Em- 
meline ;  '  we  might  be  out  of — '  Her  voice  failed,  and 
she  could  not  say  of  the  waves. 

'  A  little  way,'  said  Frank;  '  there  is  nothing  else  to 
be  done.' 

They  looked  round  for  the  best  spot.  At  the  inner- 
most part  of  the  bay,  the  rocks  rose  not  only  in  a  perfect 
wall,  but  slightly  inclining  forward,  so  that  that  side  was 
perfectly  hopeless  ;  but  where  Frank  had  made  his  pre- 
vious attempts  on  the  projecting  boundary  of  the  cove,  the 
rocks  were  more  broken,  and  here  they  resolved  to  make 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  149 

the  attempt.  It  was  high  time,  for  the  water  was  already 
at  their  feet ;  but  such  was  the  steepness  of  the  rocks, 
that  the  girls  would  have  thought  it  at  any  other  time 
perfectly  impossible  to  mount  them.  Frank  first  showed 
Kate  how  to  raise  herself,  and  pushed  her  up,  till  she 
found  herself  on  the  top  of  the  first  rock ;  next  he  lifted 
Edwin  up,  she  received  him  in  her  arms,  and  placed  him 
securely;  and  then  Emmeline,  lifted  by  Frank,  and  drag- 
ged by  Kate,  was  lodged  by  her  side  on  the  narrow  slip- 
pery ledge,  where  she  could  hardly  stand.  Lastly,  Frank 
mounted,  and  by  grappling  with  his  hands,  and  dragging 
himself  up  with  his  knees,  managed  to  gain  another  eleva- 
tion, up  which  he  again  succeeded  in  pulling  them,  and 
then  by  another  giddy  feat  of  climbing,  and  by  writhing 
round  a  sharp  projecting  rock,  they  gained  the  summit  of 
a  tolerably  large  flat  stone,  where  there  was  standing-room 
for  all.  It  was  hardly  five  yards  above  the  beach,  and  a 
sheer  precipice  rose  straight  above  them,  which  even  a 
fowler  could  scarce  dream  of  scaling.  The  hue  of  the 
rock,  and  the  little  pools  that  remained  in  the  crevices, 
showed  that  they  were  not  yet  out  of  reach  of  their  enemy. 

'  Here  we  come  to  a  stand  still,'  said  Frank. 

'  Is  there  no  more  to  be  done  ? '  said  Emmeline. 

He  shook  his  head  in  silence,  then  raised  his  voice  and 
shouted  again ;  but  the  cry  of  the  sea-gull  was  the  only 
reply. 

'  We  must  sit  down  here  and  wait,'  said  he,  calmly. 

Emmeline  was  not  sorry  to  sit  down,  chilly  as  it  was, 
for  her  breath  was  gone,  her  heart  throbbing,  and  her 
limbs  trembling.  She  and  Kate  crouched  down,  half  sit- 
ting, half  reclining,  leaning  against  each  other,  with  their 
arms  interlaced,  and  they  drew  Edwin  to  rest  between 
them  and  the  rock,  in  what  was  almost  a  comfortable  cor- 
ner. Frank  was  further  out,  nearer  the  edge  of  the  preci- 
pice beneath  them. 

Not  a  word  had  passed  between  them  as  to  the  danger, 
yet  they  felt  what  was  in  each  other's  mind,  and  no  one 
broke  the  silence  till  little  Edwin  spoke  :  '  Miss  Townsend 
and  Janet  don't  think  where  I  am.' 

It  made  Emmeline  shiver,  so  unconsciously  dii  it  echo 


150  THE    CASTLG    BUILDERS. 

her  feeling  how  little  their  danger  was  suspected  at  home, 
how  their  mother  was  probably  returning  from  her  drive, 
and  Sir  Francis  reading  the  paper,  without  guessing  that 
their  children  were  watching  death  slowly  advancing  on 
them,  without  a  hand  stretched  out  to  help  them. 

Kate  bent  down  and  kissed  the  little  fellow's  forehead, 
and  wondered  how  far  he  understood  his  situation ;  then 
a  thought  like  his  came  across  her.  and  she  murmured,  '0, 
mamma  !   0,  poor  Constance  ! ' 

Frank  had  all  this  time  been  looking  out  intently  on 
the  sea ;  but  on  hearing  this  exclamation,  he  turned  and 
looked  at  his  sisters,  and  marking  their  trembling  lips  and 
frightened  eyes,  he  said,  '  Shall  I  read  something  ?  '  He 
took  his  little  Prayer-Book  from  his  waistcoat  pocket,  and 
uncovering  his  head,  read,  in  a  low  solemn  tone,  strangely 
accompanied  by  the  surging  rush  of  the  waves,  the  prayer 
to  be  used  at  Sea,  beginning  with,  '  0  most  glorious  and 
gracious  Grod — ' 

The  girls  clasped  their  hands  more  tightly  together. 
In  their  lives  never  had  they  so  followed  any  prayer. 

When  it  was  over,  Emmeline  repeated,  '  The  living — 
the  living — oh  !  if  I  do  but  live — '  and  there  she  stopped. 

'  You  will  not  put  off  the  Confirmation  any  longer,' 
said  Frank,  eagerly. 

'  0  no,  no,'  said  Emmeline,  *  if — if — ' 

'  Call  again,  Frank,'  said  Kate. 

Frank  hallooed  again,  but  all  in  vain. 

'  But  Frank,'  said  little  Edwin,  leaning  forward  to  look 
at  him,  '  tell  me,  Frank,  are  we  going  to  be  drowned  ? ' 

A  silence  of  horror  came  over  the  sisters  at  that  word ; 
but  Frank's  answer  was  not  long  in  coming. 

'  I  cannot  tell,  Edwin  ;  it  is  as  God  pleases.' 

'  I  saw  a  little  dog  drowned,'  said  Edwin,  with  a  sort 
of  composure  that  nearly  set  Kate  off  in  a  hysterical 
laugh  ;  '  its  hair  was  all  wet,  and  out  long — I  don't  want 
to  be  like  that.' 

Emmeline  was  not  wrong,  in  thinking  that  Frank  did 
actually  smile  as  he  said,  '  Edwin,  you  are  not  like  the 
little  dog.' 

*  I've  got  a  soul ! '  said  Edwin. 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  151 

'  Yes,  and  only  think  wliat  your  soul  will  go  and  see. 
Don't  you  remember  ?  ' 

Edwin  tumbled  and  scrambled  across  his  sisters  at  the 
imminent  danger  of  upsetting  them,  and  said,  '  Tell  me 
about  it ! '  And  Frank  in  a  low  half-whispering  voice, 
scarcely  audible,  gave  partly  in  his  own  words,  partly  in 
those  of  Scripture,  some  of  the  glorious  descriptions  in  the 
Book  of  Revelations,  whilst  little  Edwin  listened  intently. 

Suddenly  he  broke  upon  Frank's  speech  with  the  ex- 
clamation, '  Look,  there  is  a  path  of  glory ! '  and  Emme- 
line,  raising  her  eyes,  saw  the  declining  sun  reflected  in  the 
water  in  a  long  line  of  dazzling  light. 

Frank  saw  it  too,  and  the  sunlight  seemed  to  have 
bathed  his  countenance  and  hair,  as  he  sat  with  his  face 
turned  westward,  looking  intently,  as  he  had  done  all 
along,  as  if  he  saw  something  far  beyond  the  horizon-line 
of  pale  shimmering  light.  His  answer  was  to  begin  the 
ninety-third  Psalm :  '  The  Lord  is  King,  and  hath  put  on 
glorious  apparel ! ' 

'  But  I  don't  like  to  go,'  said  Edwin,  when  the  Psalm 
was  finished,  *  without  Alfred,  or  Janet,  or  papa,  or  Miss 
Townsend.' 

Frank  put  his  arm  round  him,  and  whispered  some- 
thing that  Emmeline  could  not  hear,  then  Edwin  knelt, 
with  his  little  hands  clasped,  while  Frank  rested  his  cheek 
on  his  shoulder,  so  as  to  whisper  in  his  ear. 

Thus  they  remained  for  some  little  time,  the  sisters 
holding  each  other  fast,  and  still  silent,  a  sort  of  torpor 
over  their  minds,  their  teeth  chattering  from  the  cold  wind, 
that  almost  numbed  their  senses,  unable  to  keep  them- 
selves from  watching  how  rock  disappeared  after  rock,  and 
yet  scarcely  awake  to  what  was  about  to  befall  them.  At 
intervals  Frank  still  shouted  for  help,  but  still  in  vain. 
The  Church  bell  began  to  ring.  It  was  bitterly  cold. 
The  waves  came  rippling  closer,  the  pointed  rock  up 
which  they  had  scrambled  began  to  reject  the  water  in 
spray.  Frank  called  once,  twice,  again.  Oh,  joy  !  there 
was  an  answer — another  shout — the  answer  came  nearer — 
Emmeline  and  Kate  pressed  each  other  fast,  and  listened 
breathlessly.  There  was  a  distinct  sound  of  a  word, 
<  Where  ? ' 


152  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

'  Here  ! '  cried  Frank,  '  on  a  rock.  AVe  want  a  boat — 
a  boat — in  haste  ! ' 

'  A  boat — in  haste — as  fast  as  possible,'  repeated  the 
voice  above,  and  it  was  gone. 

The  girls  kissed  Edwin  and  each  other,  shook  hands 
with  Frank,  and  exclaimed  in  ecstacy.  But  the  foam 
tossed  higher,  and  presently  Kate  said,  '  Oh !  if  it  should 
not  be  in  time  ! ' 

*  It  will  not,  if  you  don't  sit  still,'  said  Frank,  for  they 
were  moving  about  in  a  violent  agitated  manner  in  their 
reviving  hopes. 

'  0,  don't !  don't  say  so,  Frank  !  Oh  !  what  shall  we 
do  ?  Oh  !  it  is  coming  nearer  !  Oh  !  to  be  drowned  now 
with  help  so  near ! '  cried  Kate,  while  Emmeline  burst 
into  tears,  and  grasped  at  Frank's  arm. 

'  Be  still,'  said  Frank,  sternly,  '  be  still,  as  you  wish  to 
be  saved — don't  cling  to  me — I  am  the  least  safe  of  all 
here.  There,  Edwin,  go  between  your  sisters  and  the 
rock,  as  you  were  before.' 

Emmeline  trembled,  gasped,  and  sobbed,  '  Oh !  if  he 
would  but  come — he  never  will  come  in  time — oh  !  Frank, 
Frank—' 

Frank  laid  his  hand  on  her  :  '  Hush  !  hear  what  I  have 
to  say.     If  you  are  saved  and  I  not — ' 

'  0  Frank,  don't — we  must  all  be  together — ' 

'  Emmie — Kate — you  have  been  very  kind  to  me 
always,  be  kind  now,  and  listen,  for  there  is  but  little 
time.  Give  them  all  my  love  ;  don't  let  my  poor  father 
distress  himself  about  what  passed  to-day  ;  tell  my  uncle 
that  I  am  sure  it  is  best  as  it  is,  I  had  rather  it  was  so ; 
and  my  love  to  your  mother,  and  the  little  ones,  and 
Juliet ;  and  my  uncle  will  give  it  to  old  Grace,  and  all  at 
Dumblethwaytc.  Emmie,  Emmie,  don't  cry  so — I  tell 
you  I  had  rather — it  is  much  brighter  out  there — . 
There's  an  end  of  trouble  and  temptation.  And,  Emmie 
and  Kate,  you  promise  me — the  Confirmation  and  Com- 
munion— ' 

'  0,  we  promise,'  said  Kate. 

'  Look  in  my  room,  and  you  will  see  two  volumes  of 
sermons.     I  would  have  given  them  to  you  to  read,  only 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  153 

I  thouglit  my  father — but  that  is  all  over  now.  0,  I  hope 
— I  pray  it  may  turn  out  best  for  all' 

A  wave  dashed  high  and  completely  drenched  them 
with  spray,  which  struck  like  sharp  blo^s ;  Kate  screamed, 
and  grasped  with  her  hands  on  each  side;  Edwin  cried 
out  too,  '  0,  Frank,  Frank  ! ' 

*  Lift  him  up  higher — let  me  lift  him  upon  that  rock  ! ' 
cried  Frank,  raising  himself  on  his  insecure  and  slippery 
seat  on  the  rock.  Emmeliuc  did  what  she  was  told,  she 
hardly  knew  how,  and  Edwin  was  placed  on  a  narrow 
ledge  on  a  level  with  their  heads.  '  Hold  fast,  Eddy,  dear, 
you  will  soon  be  safe,'  said  Frank.  '  Now,  then,  Kate, 
Emmie,  remember  what  I  have  said — kiss  me — for  you 
have  been  my  own  kind  sisters,  and — ' 

As  they  silently  and  tremblingly  kissed  him,  the  dash 
of  another  wave  beat  over  them,  blinding  and  deafening 
them.  In  the  pause  that  followed,  Emmeline  and  Kate 
heard  a  voice,  '  Into  Thy  hands  I  commend — '  Then 
came  a  shout  from  another  quarter,  '  The  boat,  the  boat ! ' 
screamed  Edwin  from  above.  Kate  caught  a  glimpse  of 
it  rounding  the  opposite  point,  but  she  saw  it  only  for  an 
instant.  The  waves  would  not  be  disappointed  of  their 
prey,  another  was  rolling  upwards,  and  the  next  moment 
she  was  conscious  of  nothing,  save  that  Emmeline  and  she 
were  clutching  each  other  in  a  convulsive  grasp,  and  the 
support  of  the  rock  was  no  longer  beneath  them,  the  rush- 
ing waters  were  in  her  ears — sight,  sound,  sense  failed  in 
one  agony,  as  if  her  head  were  crushing  and  bursting. 


164  THE    CASTLE    EUILDERS. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

"  "What  AYOuld  we  give  to  our  beloved  ? 

He  giveth  llis  beloved  sleep." 

E.  B.  Bkowniu^. 

When  Kate  next  awoke  to  consciousness,  it  was  by  can- 
dlelight, and  she  was  lying  wrapped  in  warm  blankets  be- 
fore the  nursery  jQre  at  home,  and  something  burning  was 
being  poured  into  her  mouth.  She  heard  a  confused 
sound  of  voices  around  her,  and  with  some  effort  opened 
her  eyes.  The  children's  nurse  and  one  of  the  maids  were 
busy  over  her,  and  she  heard  them  saying  that  she  was 
coming  to  herself 

She  struggled  to  speak.  '  Emmie,  Emmie,'  said  she, 
'  where's  Emmie  ? ' 

'  Oh !  Miss  Katherine,  I'm  glad  to  hear  you  speak 
again  ! '  cried  the  nurse.     '  Do  you  feel  better,  now  ?  ' 

'  Where's  Emmie? '  again  said  Kate,  and  this  time  in 
a  stronger  voice,  as  she  raised  herself  on  her  hand  and 
tried  to  look  round. 

*  Miss  Berners  is  in  her  own  room,'  said  nurse.  *  Well, 
I  am  so  glad  to  see  you  doing  so  nicely.  Kun,  Anno,  and 
let  my  Lady  know  that  Miss  Katherine  is  so  much  better.' 

'  What  is  the  matter  ?  '  said  Kate,  laying  down  her 
head  again,  for  she  felt  very  dizzy  and  confused.  '  Why 
am  I  not  with  Emmie  ?  ' 

'  You  shall  go  to  her  when  you  are  better,  Miss,'  said 
the  nurse,  soothingly,  and  giving  her  some  more  hot  drink. 
A  few  minutes'  more  repose,  and  it  all  came  upon  her  in 


THE    CASTLE    BUILIERS.  155 

one  flash,  she  was  on  the  rock  again,  the  waves  dashing 
round  her,  and  Emmeline  strained  in  her  embrace.  But 
no — Emmeline  was  not  near,  and  she  was  in  the  warm 
nursery,  and  footsteps  were  coming  near.  She  looked  up 
and  saw  Miss  Townsend. 

'  My  dear,'  said  Miss  Townsend,  and  her  voice  was 
tender,  and  trembling,  *  I  am  glad  you  are  better — here  is 
Mr.  Edwards  come  to  see  you.' 

'  But  the  rock — the  water — Emmie — Frank — Edwin 
— I  thought  we  were  out  there — where  are  they  V  asked 
Kate. 

'  Edwin  is  in  his  mamma's  dressing-room,  fast  getting 
better ;  and  the  others  are  in  their  own  rooms,'  said  Miss 
Townsend,  and  Kate  was  satisfied  for  a  minute,  and  al- 
lowed the  doctor  who  had  followed  Miss  Townsend  to  feel 
her  pulse.  He  said  she  must  be  kept  warm  and  quiet, 
and  that  she  was  doing  well ;  and  then  came  that  very 
grand  person,  her  mamma's  maid,  with  '  My  lady's  love  to 
her,  and  she  was  very  glad  she  was  better.'  The  next 
minute  some  one  was  calling  at  the  door,  Mr.  Edwards 
went,  it  seemed  to  be  a  message  to  him,  and  Miss  Town- 
send  sat  down  close  to  Kate.  After  lying  still  a  little 
while,  her  confused  thoughts  began  to  arrange  themselves ; 
she  saw  how  it  was  now,  she  had  been  almost  drowned, 
and  that  was  what  was  the  matter  with  her,  but  then — the 
others — her  own  Emmie — the  doubt  became  agony. 

'Miss  Townsend,'  said  she, 'you  are  quite  sure  the 
others  are  safe  ?' 

'  They  are  both  in  their  rooms,  my  dear ;  Mr.  Brent 
brought  them  home  at  the  same  time.' 

'  But  Emmie — why  is  she  not  here — why  did  you  take 
me  from  her?'  Miss  Townsend  remembered  how  BIr.  Brent, 
in  the  few  hurried  words  that  passed  as  he  came  in,  carrying 
Kate  in  his  arms,  had  said  that  the  sisters  had  been  linked 
so  fast  in  a  death-like  embrace,  that  it  was  with  great  dif- 
ficulty they  were  parted.  She  could  hardly  keep  back  her 
tears  as  she  said,  *  My  dear,  we  thought  we  could  attend  to 
you  better  apart.' 

'  Is  Emmie  ill  ?  Has  she  come  to  herself?  Oh  !  she 
must  want  me,'  said  Kate,  sitting  upright,  and  looking 
round  for  her  clothes.     '  I  must  go  to  her  directly.' 


156  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

*  I  think  you  had  better  lie  quiet  a  little  longer,  my 
dear,'  said  Miss  Townsend.  '  You  shall  be  sent  for  if 
your  sister  asks  for  you,  but  in  the  meantime  you  had 
better  try  to  go  to  sleep.' 

*  0,  no,  I  can't  sleep  without  Emmie,  I  am  sure  she 
can't  sleep  without  me.  No,  let  me  go  to  her  directly,  I 
am  quite  well  now,  and  perhaps  she  may  want  me  and  not 
send  for  me  if  I  don't  go  now.  Dear  Miss  Townsend,  do 
be  so  kind  as  to  get  me  my  dressing-gown,  or  something, 
and  let  me  go.' 

Miss  Townsend  paused  a  little,  then  said.  'Wait 
quietly,  my  dear,  and  I  will  go  and  see  about  it.' 

She  went,   and   presently  returned   softly,   looking  a 
little  perplexed.     Kate,  who  was  still  sitting  up,  was  dis- 
appointed to  see  no  garments. 
'  Well?'  said  she,  impatiently. 

'  My  dear,'  said  Miss  Townsend,  '  you  could  be  of  no 
use  to  your  sister  now,  she  would  not  know  you,  and  you 
had  far  better: — ' 

Miss  Townsend  was  checked  by  Kate's  face  of  misery. 

*  Oh !  yes,  yes,'  cried  she ;  *  I  must  go,  Emmie  will 
know  me  if  she  knows  no  one  else.  Miss  Townsend,  dear 
Miss  Townsend,  do  not  keep  me,  I  cannot,  cannot  bear  it!' 

There  was  an  energy  in  her  manner  of  insisting,  to 
which  it  was  impossible  not  to  yield,  as  she  sat  up  with 
her  hands  clasped  together  imploringly,  her  eyes  lifted  up, 
her  face  pale,  and  her  damp  hair  hanging  about  her 
shoulders.  Be  it  as  it  might,  Miss  Townsend  saw  that  it 
would  be  actual  cruelty  to  keep  her  apart  from  her  sister. 

Miss  Townsend  perhaps  tried  a  little  to  delay,  but 
Kate's  impatience  was  not  to  be  baffled;  hastily  and  with 
trembling  hands  she  dressed  herself,  folded  her  hair  round 
her  head,  and  though  her  knees  still  shook  so  much  that 
she  could  hardly  stand,  it  was  at  a  running  pace  that  she 
hurried  to  her  sister.  Emmeline  lay  on  the  bed,  white, 
her  eyes  closed,  without  sense,  without  motion — some  of 
the  maids  were  busy  in  applying  means  of  restoration. 
Kate  pushed  between  them,  and  in  a  low,  earnest  voice^ 
cried,  '  Emmie,  dear  Emmie  !'  Then  when  there  was  no 
answer,   she   looked  about  to  gee  what  the  others  were 


THE   CASTLE    BUILDERS.  157 

doing,  and  taking  one  of  the  powerless  hands  began  to 
rub  it  vigorously.  Happily  for  her,  the  thought  that  this 
might  be  death  never  once  crossed  her. 

Mr.  Edwards  came  in  presently;  Miss  Townsend 
looked  at  him  inquiringly  without  speaking,  and  he  shook 
his  head  mournfully,  but  this  Kate  did  not  see,  so  entirely 
was  she  absorbed  in  her  sister.  He  was  much  surprised 
to  see  his  late  patient  not  only  on  her  feet,  but  one  of  the 
most  active  and  ready  in  following  up  the  measures  he 
recommended.  She  knew  where  everything  was,  she  flew 
backwards  and  forwards  between  the  fire  and  the  bed,  she 
would  hardly  let  any  one  but  herself  touch  her  sister ;  the 
only  thing  in  which  she  failed  was,  that  when  a  feather 
was  held  before  Emmeline's  nostrils  to  see  if  there  was 
breath  in  them,  her  fingers  shook  so  helplessly  that  she 
was  forced  to  give  it  up. 

Again  Mr.  Edwards  was  called  away,  but  still  they 
persevered,  and  at  last  there  came  a  slight,  a  very  slight 
heaving  of  the  chest — it  moved.  Kate  hung  over  her, 
and  again  called  her  by  name.  A  gasp,  a  sort  of  moan, 
answered.  Miss  Townsend  sent  for  Mr.  Edwards,  and  by 
the  time  he  came,  the  feeble  spark  of  life  had  revived  so 
far,  that,  with  a  sort  of  instinct,  Emmeline's  hand  had 
clasped  upon  Kate's,  though  she  had  not  yet  opened  her 
eyes,  while  Kate  was  hanging  over  her  and  covering  her 
with  kisses. 

Perhaps  Miss  Townsend  had  never  known  a  brighter 
moment  than  when  she  saw  that  that  sweet  two-fold  cord 
of  sisters'  love  had  not  been  severed.  Still  there  was 
much  cause  for  anxiety,  for  Emmeline's  revival  was  by 
no  means  as  rapid  or  as  complete  as  her  sister's  had  been. 
Mr.  Edwards  said  that  she  wanted  air,  and  would  not  let 
Kate  put  her  face  so  close  to  hers,  though  Emmeline  re- 
tained her  hold  of  her  hand,  and  at  last,  in  reply  to  her 
repeated  calls,  raised  her  eye-lids,  saw  her,  and  stretch^ed 
out  her  other  hand  to  cling  fast  to  her. 

Very  gradually  and  cautiously  stimulants  were  ad- 
ministered, until  Emmeline  was  able  to  gaze  feebly  round, 
turn  her  head  on  the  pillow,  look  affectionately  at  her 
sister,  and  murmur  something  indistinct,  then  closed  her 
eyes  again,  and  fell  asleep. 


158  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

Watching  licr  all  the  time,  Kate,  who  had  grown  thirsty 
with  anxiety,  accepted  a  cup  of  hot  tea,  and  while  she  was 
drinking  it,  there  was  a  rustling  of  silk  in  the  passage,  and 
Lady  Willoughby  came  in,  looking  frightened  and  partly 
eager.  She  held  out  her  arms  to  Kate,  embraced  her 
tenderly,  and  wept  over  her,  but  in  almost  complete  silence, 
from  regard  to  Emmeline's  slumbers. 

'  0,  my  dearest — 0,  what  have  I  gone  through  ! '  whis- 
pered she  in  broken  sentences;  '0,  the  horrors!  Poor 
little  Edwin,  he  was  so  fearfully  chilled  and  frightened  ! 
And  then  I  was  so  nervous ;  I  knew  I  could  be  of  no  use 
here,  and  IMiss  Townsend  was  so  much  better  a  nurse  than 
I ;  and  I  was  obliged  to  soothe  Edwin,  I  was  half  afraid 
it  would  bring  on  a  fever.  He  was  perfectly  stiff  with 
cold.  My  sweet  Emmie,' how  soundly  she  sleeps!  but 
you,  Katie  dear,  you  should  be  in  bed ;  you  will  be  quite 
ill,  darling.  You  must  tell  me  all  to-morrow,  my  dear 
girh  I  will  not  stay,  for  fear  of  waking  dear  Emmie.  I 
must  go  to  poor  little  Edwin,  or  he  will  wake  again,  and 
scream  about  the  waves.  0,  horrible  !  I  know  I  may 
safely  trust  you  to  Miss  Townsend's  care.  Good  night, 
Katie,  you  will  go  to  bed  now,  promise  me.' 

'  Yes,  mamma,  if  Emmie  does  not  want  me.  Only 
just  tell  me  how  Frank  is  ? ' 

'  I  have  not  heard  just  lately,  my  dear,'  said  her 
mother;  'his  father  and  Mr.  Edwards  are  with  him,  and 
I  believe  there  is  no  fear  but  that  he  will  do  very  well.' 

'  0,  I  am  glad  of  it,'  cried  Kate,  as  if  words  would  not 
express  her  thought.  '  Mamma,  we  should  none  of  us 
have  been  saved  without  Frank.' 

'  0,  my  love,  you  must  not  begin  the  whole  frightful 
history  now !  Sleep,  and  forget  it  all  till  morning,  and 
then  I  must  hear  it  all.  Good  night,  sweet  Katie ;  0, 
what  a  day  it  has  been.' 

Kissing  her  again,  Lady  Willoughby  departed,  and 
Kate,  whose  mind  was  now  comparatively  at  rest,  began 
to  be  conscious  of  so  much  lassitude,  that  she  offered  little 
or  no  opposition  to  Miss  Townsend's  entreaty  that  she 
would  go  to  bed  directly,  and  was  quite  satisfied  when  the 
governess  said  she  would  remain  for  the  present  to  see 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  159 

•whether  Emmclinc  wanted  anything.  Kate's  senses  were 
not  awake  enough  to  perceive  that  this  was  really  an  an- 
nouncement of  an  intention  to  sit  up  all  night,  and  con- 
sented to  sleep  on  a  mattress  on  the  floor.  ,  Though  for  a 
little  while  the  dashing  of  the  sea  was  in  her  ears,  and 
when  she  shut  her  eyes,  the  waves  seemed  to  be  closing 
in  on  her,  these  fancies  soon  gave  way,  and  she  was 
soundly  asleep. 

Her  first  waking  was  caused  by  some  restless  move- 
ments of  her  sister's.  She  started  up  in  an  instant,  and 
found  Miss  Townsend  already  at  Emmeline's  side.  Em- 
meline  seemed  but  half  awake,  and  scarcely  conscious; 
she  knew  her  sister,  and  that  was  all ;  she  said  she  was 
thirsty,  and  complained  of  pain  in  her  limbs,  and  then, 
when  something  had  been  given  her  to  drink,  she  turned 
round  and  went  off  into  another  doze.  Kate,  who  was 
quite  stiff  with  sleepiness,  laid  down  as  Miss  Townsend 
desired,  and  was  soon  fast  asleep  again,  more  soundly  than 
ever,  and  when  in  early  twilight  of  the  morning  she  was 
waked  by  Miss  Townsend's  holding  a  parley  with  some 
one  outside  the  door,  she  felt  so  fresh,  and  so  much  as 
usual,  that  it  was  with  some  difficulty  that  she  recalled 
what  was  the  reason  of  the  uncommon  condition  of  the 
room,  and  why  it  was  her  first  impulse  to  spring  to  Em- 
meline's bed-side  and  look  at  her  so  anxiously,  as  she  lay 
there  asleep,  with  her  face  slightly  flushed.  Her  powers 
of  thought,  feeling,  and  recollection,  had  all  come  back ; 
she  remembered  all  at  once  how  it  had  been ;  she  felt 
curious  to  know  how  they  had  come  home,  and,  above  all, 
she  had  awakened  again  to  anxiety  for  her  brothers, 
wondering  that  she  had  not  thought  more  of  them,  and 
then  scarcely  surprised  at  having  forgotten,  when  she  re- 
collected the  state  in  which  she  had  seen  Emmeline. 

Uneasy  at  the  length  of  Miss  Townsend's  conference, 
she  threw  on  her  dressing-gown,  and  ran  to  the  door. 
Miss  Townsend  was  returning,  and  they  stood  face  to 
face.  Miss  Townsend  looked  pale  and  unhajDpy,  but 
Kate  did  not  stop  to  mark  her  countenance,  she  only 
said  in  an  eager  hurried  whisper,  '  How  are  Frank  and 
Edwin?' 


160  THE    CASTLE   BUILDERS. 

'  Nurse  lias  just  been  giving  me  an  excellent  account 
of  dear  little  Edwin,'  said  Miss  Towsend ;  '  he  does  not 
seem  in  the  least  the  worse  for  it.  And  you  are 
better  ?  ' 

'  O,  I  am  quite  well,'  said  Kate ;  '  but  Frank,  why 
don't  you  tell  me  about  him  ?  ' 

Miss  Townsend  glanced  at  Emmeline,  who  still  lay 
asleep,  and  breathing  heavily,  then  taking  Kate  by  the 
hand,  she  led  her  into  the  spare  room,  which  stood  open, 
and  there  still  holding  her  hand,  stood  looking  at  her, 
and  trying  to  speak. 

Kate  stood  silent,  too,  for  some  moments,  afraid  to 
ask,  afraid  even  to  think  ;  at  last  she  said,  '  Did  not 
mamma  say  he  was  doing  well  ?  ' 

'  We — we  hoped  he  might  at  first,'  said  Miss  Towns- 
end,  and  then  there  was  another  pause. 

'  But  is  he  ill  ?  '  exclaimed  Kate. 

'  Remember  your  sister,  my  dear  ! '  said  Miss  Towns- 
end,  as  she  saw  Kate's  agitation  increasing;  then,  while 
the  tears  started  from  her  eyes,  her  voice  came  in  a  low 
choking  whisper,  '  It  must  be  a  very  great  grief  to  you 
both.  Dont't  let  her  be  waked  and  hear  it  suddenly.  It 
might  be  extremely  dangerous.' 

Kate  stood,  seeing  nothing,  hearing  nothing,  knowing 
nothing — Frank — Frank  dead — that  was  the  one  idea 
which,  indistinct,  incredible  itself,  seemed  to  swallow  up 
all  else !  But  at  that  moment  they  heard  Emmeline 
move,  and  say,  '  Kate  ! '  and  both,  with  the  feeling  of 
having  been  off  their  post,  hurried  back  to  her.  Miss 
Townsend  dashing  away  her  tears,  and  Kate  passing  her 
hand  over  her  face,  as  if  to  drive  away  any  traces  of 
emotion. 

They  need  scarcely  have  feared,  for  poor  Emmeline 
was  too  unwell  to  observe  them.  She  was  suffering  from 
high  fever  and  acute  pains  in  her  limbs,  and  the  attempt 
to  relieve  her  occupied  them  entirely  ;  Kate  could  only 
feel  a  general  sort  of  impression  of  a  heavy  grief,  without 
being  able  to  enter  into  what  it  actually  was.  She  had 
never  seen  illness,  and  was  excessively  frightened,  more 
60  indeed  than  she  had  appeared  even  during  Emmeline's 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  161 

unconsciousness.  Miss  Townsend,  whose  timidity  seemed 
to  hare  quite  gone  away,  assumed  the  direction  of  affairs 
quietly  and  naturally,  told  her  what  to  do,  quieted  her 
alarm,  and  not  making  the  least  bustle,  nor  putting  her- 
self forward,  was  in  reality  every  thing  to  them 
both. 

Mr.  Edwards  was  sent  for  again,  and  pronounced  it  to 
be  a  rheumatic  fever,  at  which  Kate  could  not  wonder, 
when  she  remembered  the  dreadful  cold  from  which  they 
had  suffered  the  night  before.  Miss  Townsend  assured 
her  that  she  might  quite  believe  what  he  said  about  its 
not  being  dangerous,  though  it  might  be  a  long  as  well  as 
a  painful  illness. 

There  had  been  several  messages  from  Lady  Wil- 
loughby  during  this  time,  and  at  about  nine  o'clock  she 
came  up  stairs  herself.  She  spoke  to  Emmeline,  who  was 
moving  uneasily,  and  only  gave  a  moaning  uncomfortable 
sort  of  answer,  and  then,  after  a  few  kind  words  to  Miss 
Townsend,  she  seemed  to  think  her  duty  was  done,  and 
asked  Kate  to  come  down  with  her  to  breakfast  in  her 
dressing-room. 

Kate  was  obliged  to  say,  '  Yes,  mamma,  thank  you,' 
and  to  follow,  though  she  felt  a  great  dread  of  meeting 
Sir  Francis  ;  as  she  followed  her,  the  sight  of  the  blinds 
drawn  down,  together  with  the  silence  of  the  house, 
weighed  heavily  on  her  spirits. 

The  dressing-room,  however,  looked  bright  and  cheer- 
ful, with  the  fire  burning  clearly,  and  the  breakfast-table 
set  out  with  all  its  luxurious  appliances.  No  sooner  were 
they  there  than  Lady  Willoughby  sank  on  the  sofa,  ex- 
claiming, '  0,  my  dear  Kate !  was  there  every  anything  so 
dreadful,  so  distressing  as  this?  0,  I  am  sure  I  shall 
never  get  over  it — I  suppose  you  have  heard  it  ? ' 

Kate  leant  her  head  against  her  mother,  and  burst 
into  a  flood  of  tears. 

'  Yes,  my  dear,  you  were  very  fond  of  him,  and  so 
were  we  all.  I  am  sure  we  can  do  ourselves  the  justice 
to  say  he  was  always  like  one  of  ourselves,  poor  dear 
fellow  ;  but,  oh  !  dear,  who  could  have  thought  it — so 
frightful !  poor  fellow,  I  little  thouirht — ' 


162  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

Lady  Willoughby  cried  heartily,  sincerely  thinking 
that  she  had  been  everything  to  Frank  that  his  own 
mother  could  have  been,  and  honest-hearted  Kate  thought 
so  too,  and  ^Yas  much  comforted  by  crying  with  her. 

'  He  sent  his  love  to  you,  mamma,'  sobbed  she. 

'  Did  he — did  he — dear  boy  ! '  exclaimed  Lady  "Wil- 
loughby. *  Ah !  he  knew — yes,  no  one  can  say  that  I  did 
not  do  all  that  could  be  expected  of  me — and  it  is  such  a 
comfort  now ! ' 

'  And  he  made  us  kiss  him,  and  told  us  we  had — 
always  been — been  kind  sisters,'  said  Kate.  '  0,  I 
thought,  as  Emmie  said,  we  must  all  be  saved  together!  0, 
Frank,  Frank ! ' 

Lady  Willoughby  let  Kate  cry  in  peace,  as  long  as 
she  felt  inclined  to  cry  herself,  then  she  began  to  say, 
'  But,  my  dear,  you  must  control  yourself;  you  will  be 
quite  nervous  and  exhausted  if  you  begin  the  day  with 
crying  so  much — after  all  you  have  gone  through  too — 
come,  look  up,  my  dear,  he  was  a  very  good  youth,  I  am 
sure,  and  he  has  gone  to  a  better  place.' 

'  0,  yes,  yes,'  and  Kate  cried  the  more  uncontrollably. 

'  And  after  all,  my  dear,  he  was  not  your  brother.' 

'  0  !  don't  say  that — 0,  mamma  ! ' 

'  It  is  a  very  amiable  feeling,  my  dear,'  said  Lady 
Willoughby,  '  but,  but — I  do  declare  it  is  very  distressing 
— '  (this  word  was  spoken  much  as  if  it  had  been  '  pro- 
voking'), '  there  is  poor  Sir  Francis  in  such  a  state  now ! ' 

'  How,  mamma  1 '  said  Kate,  looking  up,  and  feeling 
rather  ashamed  of  not  having  inquired  before. 

'  0,  he  is  almost  distracted — that  unlucky  conversation 
yesterday,  you  know — I  am  so  glad  I  tried  to  make  peace 
between  them ;  it  makes  it  so  much  worse.' 

'  But  he  ought  to  know,'  said  Kate,  springing  up, 
'  that  dear  Frank  begged  he  would  not  distress  himself 
about  that.     Where  is  he  ?  ' 

'  0,  my  dear,  you  can't  go  to  him ;  don't  think  of  it !  ho 
is  in  the  study,  down  stairs ;  he  has  been  walking  up  and 
down  in  his  dressing-room  all  night,  ever  since  Mr. 
Edwards  gave  up  poor  Frank,  I  could  not  sleep  all 
night,  I  assure  you,  Kate,  for  hearing  him  walk  up  and 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  163 

down,  yes,  and  groan  out  quite  loud,  and  call  Frank,  and 
talk  to  himself.  And  now  be  won't  see  any  one.  He 
will  not  hear  of  my  coming  to  him,  and  I  am  so  nervous 
that  Mr.  Edwards  thinks  it  would  be  quite  unadvisable. 
My  agitation  would  only  grieve  him  more.  I  am  sure  1 
do  not  know  what  to  do.' 

'  I  wish,  I  wish  uncle  Willoughby  was  here ! '  said 
Kate. 

'  Ah,  yes,  I  must  write  to  him.  Well  thought  of, 
my  dear ;  a  Clergyman,  and  every  thing.' 

'  But  he  cannot  come  till  to-morrow,'  said  Kate, 
'  and  surely  something  ought  to  be  done  !  I  cannot  bear 
to  leave  poor  Sir  Francis  in  this  way.  Would  it  not  do 
good  perhaps  if — '  and  Kate  spoke  with  an  effort,  for  she 
did  not  much  like  the  notion — '  if  I  was  to  take  Edwin  to 
him  ? ' 

'  0,  my  dear,  poor  little  Eddy,  after  all  he  has  gone 
through,  I  could  not  think  of  it,  poor  dear  little  fellow. 
And  after  such  a  shock,  I  am  sure  the  utmost  care 
must  be  necessary  for  both  of  you.  0,  no,  on  no  ac- 
count.' 

Kate,  afraid  of  the  sight  of  violent  grief,  was  easily 
diverted  from  the  design,  and  thought  herself  presump- 
tuous in  proposing  it.  Edwin,  who  had  slept  late,  and 
had  since  been  sent  to  the  nursery  to  be  dressed,  and 
to  have  his  breakfast,  here  came  in,  and  his  sister  threw 
her  arms  round  him  in  a  transport  of  affection.  He  did 
not  look  as  if  anything  was  the  matter  with  him,  and 
having  probably  been  told  in  the  nursery  not  to  mention 
Frank,  he  said  not  one  word  of  him,  but  applied  himself 
with  great  good  will  to  eat  all  the  good  things  which  his 
mamma  gave  him.  Kate,  though  feeling  as  if  it  was  im- 
possible, tried  to  eat  at  her  mother's  desire,  and  weak  and 
exhausted  as  she  had  been  before,  after  her  long  fast  and 
all  her  agitation,  she  found  that  breakfast  did  her  a  great 
deal  of  good.  She  wanted  to  go  back  to  Emmeline,  but  she 
and  her  mother  had  first  to  exchange  histories  of  the  dread- 
ful evening.  It  was  Mr.  Brent  who  had  at  length  heard 
their  cries  as  he  was  going  to  evening  service  ;  he  had 
hastened  to  the  nearest  cottages  to  call  the  fishermen  to 


164  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

put  out  their  boats,  and  had  himself  gone  with  th  l 
Just  as  they  turned  the  opposite  corner  of  the  lin'io 
bay,  and  he  could  recognise  those  who  were  in  danger,  he 
had  seen  the  wave  dash  over  Frank  and  the  two  sisters, 
and  wash  them  from  the  rock,  and  it  had  not  been  with- 
out considerable  danger  and  difficulty  that  they  had  been 
dragged  into  the  boat,  the  sisters  first,  and  Frank,  not  till 
some  minutes  after.  It  was  thought  that  he  had  been 
stunned  by  being  dashed  against  a  rock,  for  he  had  made 
no  attempt  to  keep  afloat,  and  there  was  a  bruise  on  his 
temple.  Life  must  have  been  extinct  before  he  was  taken 
out  of  the  water.  Little  Edwin  was  taken  safely  from 
his  nest  on  the  rock,  and,  worn  out  with  fear,  cold,  and 
fatigue,  was  fast  asleep  before  they  reached  the  landing- 
place.  Kate  had  shown  signs  of  life  as  she  was  lifted  out 
of  the  boat,  and  Mr.  Brent  had  therefore  himself  carried 
her  to  the  house,  brought  her  in  at  the  back  entrance, 
and  consigning  her  to  the  maids,  had  come  to  prepare  the 
parents  for  what  they  had  to  hear.  They  had  already 
become  anxious  at  the  lateness  of  the  hour,  and  therefore 
he  had  the  less  to  tell.     All  the  rest  Kate  knew. 

At  this  moment  a  message  was  brought  that  Mr. 
Brent  had  called  to  inquire  ;  Kate,  in  the  full  flow  of 
her  gratitude,  would  have  flown  down  to  see  and  thank 
him,  but  Lady  Willoughby  said  it  would  be  improper, 
it  would  be  impossible  to  see  any  one  ;  she  was  sure  they 
were  exceedingly  obliged  to  Mr.  Brent,  and  she  would 
tell  him  so  in  a  few  days,  but  now — oh,  no,  it  would  not 
do. 

'  But,  mamma,  the  man  who  saved  us !  Only  think 
if  he  had  not  come  !  0,  do,  mamma  !  if  you  are  not  equal 
to  it,  let  me  ! ' 

'  Well  my  dear,  but  won't  it  be  odd  ?  My  dear 
Katie—' 

But  Kate,  the  energy  of  gratitude  overcoming  all 
other  considerations,  caught  hold  of  Edwin's  hand,  and 
ran  down  with  him  to  the  drawing-room.  How  difi"erent 
did  his  usually  uninteresting  face  and  dry  manner  now 
appear,  as  she  went  up  to  him,  held  out  her  hand,  and 
said,  '  Mamma  does  not  feel  equal  to  coming  down,  but 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  165 

— but — '  and  there  her  voice  faltered,  and,  with  an 
eloquent  look,  she  put  Edwin  forward. 

Mr.  Brent  was  a  good  deal  touched  with  Kate's  sweet 
look  and  action  of  gratitude,  but  he  was  one  of  those 
people  who,  the  more  they  are  affected,  the  more  stiff  and 
cold  they  outwardly  become,  so  he  only  kissed  Edwin, 
said  he  was  very  glad  to  see  him  and  Kate  herself  so  far 
recovered,  and  inquired  for  their  sister.  It  drove  back 
Kate's  overflowings  of  feeling,  and  she  made  a  mannerly 
matter-of-fact  answer.  So  also  she  did  about  Sir  Francis 
and  her  mother,  and  then  came  a  pause.  Mr.  Brent  rather 
awkwardly  said,  '  I  hope  you  will  tell  me  if  I  can  be  of 
any  use  ? '  and  Kate  hurriedly  answered,  '  No,  we  are 
very  much  obliged  to  you,  very  much ;  but  I  do  not 
know.  No,  we  need  not  trouble  you,  Mr.  Willoughby 
will  be  here  to-morrow.  Indeed,  we  are  very  much 
obliged.' 

'  Well,  I  hope  you  will  be  sure  to  let  me  do  anything 
in  my  power,'  said  Mr.  Brent.  '  I  will  call  to  inquire 
every  day,  and  pray  send  to  me  if — ' 

'  0,  thank  you,  thank  you.  0,  you  are  very  kind,' 
said  Kate,  hastily,  and  behold  there  was  Mr.  Brent  shak- 
ing hands  with  her ;  and  now  he  was  gone.  Should  she 
not  have  proposed  his  seeing  Sir  Francis?  Would  that 
she  had.  And  what  had  become  of  all  her  thanks  ?  0, 
why  could  she  not  thank  him  1  '  Very  much  obliged  ! ' 
all  that  she  could  say  to  him  who  had  saved  her  own 
Emmie.  She  was  greatly  annoyed  with  herself  as  she 
went  up  again,  and  leaving  Edwin  with  his  mamma,  who 
had  devoted  herself  to  petting  him,  she  was  on  her  way 
to  Emmeline,  when  she  found  Janet  sitting  on  a  step  at 
the  top  of  the  stairs,  with  her  finger  on  her  lip. 

'  Janet,  dear,  I  have  not  seen  you  before,'  said  Kate, 
in  her  universal  benevolence  ;  but  at  that  moment  the 
voice  of  Clements,  the  ladies'  maid,  exclaimed,  '  Miss 
Willoughby  is  naughty.  Miss  Katherine  !  ' 

'  Oh,'  said  Kate,  '  I  am  very  sorry  to  hear  it;  I  hope 
you  will  soon  be  good,  Janet,  dear.     Won't  you  try?  ' 

Janet  sat  down  again  with  a  dogged  look,  and  put  her 
finger  up  as  before. 


166  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS, 

'  O,  that  is  very  sad,'  said  Kate.  '  I  can't  stop  to  talk 
to  sulky  little  girls;   I  must  go  on  to  Emmeline.' 

Janet  still  sat  as  if  she  cared  not  a  straw  for  any  of 
them,  so  Kate  proceeded  to  her  sister's  room.  Emmeline 
was  much  the  same,  and  as  the  nurse  was  now  ready  to 
come  and  help  in  her  room,  Kate  begged  Miss  Towns- 
end  to  go  and  take  a  little  rest.  Miss  Townsend  thanked 
her,  and  went,  but  there  was  another  word  to  that  matter. 
Clements,  the  ladies'  maid,  did  not  at  all  like  having  the 
charge  at  once  of  Janet  and  Cecilia,  and  Miss  Townsend 
had  scarcely  come  to  the  end  of  the  passage  before  she 
was  met  with  the  renewed  accusation  of  '  Miss  Willoughby 
being  a  very  naughty  child ; '  and  there  stood  Janet  lean- 
ing against  the  wall,  the  very  impersonation,  apparently, 
of  sulkiuess.  '  Yes,  there  she  stands,'  proceeded  Clements; 
'  not  a  word  I  can  say  will  she  mind.  She  does  not  care 
for  all  the  trouble  in  the  house,  not  a  bit ;  I  do  believe  it 
is  all  jealousy  of  her  poor  little  brother  that  has  been 
almost  drowned.' 

'  Come-  with  me,  Janet,'  said  Miss  Townsend,  and 
Janet  followed  her  to  the  school-room  without  looking 
up.  '  What  is  this,  Janet  ?  '  asked  she.  '  Have  you  been 
disobedient  ? ' 

Janet  raised  her  face,  and  murmured,  '  I  did  not 
mean  it.' 

The  child  did  not  understand  her  own  feelings.  She 
had  learnt  that  Frank  was  dead,  through  the  gossipping 
converse  of  the  maids,  and  her  natural  reserve  jirevented 
her  from  asking  or  saying  one  word  to  such  unsympa- 
thizing  people.  There  was  a  dead,  aching,  sorrowful, 
wondering  feeling,  heavy  at  her  childish  heart,  and  she 
tried  to  shake  it  off  by  playing  with  Cecilia.  Then  the 
maids  scolded  her  for  having  no  feeling  for  her  dear 
brother,  and  that  doubly  wounded  and  hardened  the  poor 
child.  Next  came  the  hero,  Edwin,  too  triumphant  in  the 
pride  of  the  petting  of  his  mamma  and  all  the  maids,  to 
care  much  for  Janet's  kisses.  She  hung  back,  and  the 
dark  thought  that  all  were  loved  save  herself,  over- 
shadowed her  again  ;  the  maids  told  her  she  was  jealous  : 
the  name  fitted  the  latent  feeling  of  which  she  was  con 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.    '  167 

scious ;  Janet  put  her  finger  up  to  lier  lip,  and  there  was 
an  end  of  aught  but  hardening,  and  bitterness,  and  self- 
pity,  Kate  was  like  the  rest  of  them,  and  poor  Janet 
was  dull,  dry,  hard. 

The  first  thing  that  broke  on  the  heavy  dream  waa 
when,  as  she  stood  before  her  governess.  Miss  Townsend 
looked  into  her  face,  and  said,  '  My  dear,  have  you 
thanked  God  for  his  love  in  saving  your  dear  brother 
Edwin  and  your  sisters  ?  ' 

'  Let  me,'  said  Janet,  not  warmly,  for  nothing  chills  a 
child  more  than  to  be  accused  of  being  cold  ;  but  Miss 
Townsend  would  not  notice  this,  and  the  little  girl  knelt 
down  by  her  while  she  dictated  a  few  simple  words  of 
thanksgiving.  It  was  a  softened  face  that  Janet  raised 
up  from  her  clasped  hands,  but  all  she  said  was  a  ques- 
tion whether  she  was  to  do  any  lessons  to-day  ? 

'  I  am  afraid,  my  dear,'  said  Miss  Townsend,  '  that  I 
can  hardly  hear  you  to-day.  Your  sister  Emmeline  is  so 
ill  that  I  have  been  up  all  night  with  her,  and  now  I  am 
afraid  that  if  I  do  not  rest,  I  shall  be  too  tired  to  be  of 
any  use  to  her  by-and-bye.' 

'  Are  you  so  tired  ?  '  said  Janet. 

'  Yes,  rather,  my  dear,  and  so  I  should  like  to  make 
you  my  useful  little  woman.' 

'  0,  how  ?  '  and  Janet's  face  lighted  up  and  lost  its 
heavy,  discontented  look.  , 

'  First,  I  should  like  to  lie  down  on  the  sofa,  if  you 
will  fetch  my  plaid  shawl  to  cover  me  up.'  Said  and 
done  in  a  moment,  and  very  pretty  it  was  to  sec  the  care- 
fulness with  which  the  little  girl  spread  out  the  shawl  and 
turned  down  the  folds. 

'  Are  you  comfortable  now  ?  '  she  asked. 

'  Yes,  very  ;  this  is  very  nice,  my  dear  little  nurse. 
And  now  I  think  I  might  go  to  sleep  if  you  would  read 
to  me.  Get  one  of  your  little  books  and  read  to  me 
nicely.  And  then,  another  thing,  Janet  dear,  you  must 
keep  the  door  open,  and  listen,  and  wake  me  as  soon  as 
ever  you  hear  your  sister  Kate  or  any  one  coming  out  of 
Miss  Berners'  room.     Thank  you.' 

Janet  moved   about  on   tiptoe,  grave,  subdued,  but 


168  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

feeling  herself  important,  and  though  sadness  hung  on 
her.  with  a  gentle  and  loving  spirit  stifling  the  jealousy 
and  sense  of  injustice  that  ached  within  her.  She  did 
not  read  so  that  it  was  much  pleasure  to  hear  her ;  and 
without  her,  Miss  Townsend  could  have  rested  much  more 
quietly  and  comfortably  ;  but  when,  after  a  half  waking, 
weary,  dreamy  sleep  of  two  hours  the  governess  awoke, 
and  saw  that  the  little  slight  figure  had  not  moved,  and 
the  brown  eyes  were  watching  her  intently,  her  own  lonely 
heart  thrilled  with  fondness,  and  she  sighed  to  think  of 
the  depths  of  love  unstirred,  by  those  who  ought  to  have 
made  them  sunshine  instead  of  gloom. 

The  day  passed  quietly  and  wearily,  Emmeline  was 
restless  and  suffering,  and  Kate  could  do  little  but  watch 
her,  do  her  best  for  her  comfort,  with  little  success,  and 
grow  frightened  at  her  moans  and  complaints,  and  at  the 
burning  skin  and  flushing  face  3  so  frightened  that  she 
would  not  even  trust  the  assurances  of  Miss  Townsend 
and  Mr.  Edwards.  She  hung  over  the  patient  with 
quivering  lips  and  tearful  eyes,  as  if  she  felt  every  pain 
that  her  sister  was  enduring,  unwilling  to  let  any  one 
touch  her  or  do  any  thing  for  her  but  herself,  and  unable 
to  bear  the  least  attempt  at  consolation. 

Towards  night  things  grew  better,  the  violence  of  the 
rheumatic  pains  grew  less,  the  fever  abated,  and  Emme- 
line, quite  exhausted,  fell  asleep.  Kate  was  persuaded  to 
go  down  to  tea  with  her  mother,  who,  she  found,  had 
kept  Edwin  as  her  charge  all  day,  and  had  still  not  been 
near  Sir  Francis,  who,  report  said,  went  continually  back- 
wards and  forwards  between  his  sitting-room  and  the 
chamber  of  his  son,  like  a  man  distracted.  Kate  would 
have  been  very  sorry  for  him,  but  Emmeline's  suffering 
and,  as  she  thought,  danger,  was  her  only  care  now. 

As  she  was  leaving  the  room  to  return  to  Emmeline, 
a  letter  was  given  to  her.  It  was  from  Malta,  and  the 
sight  of  Constance's  hand-writing  was  a  refreshment.  It 
was  directed  to  Miss  Berners,  but  Constance's  letters 
were  always  to  both,  so  Kate  had  no  scruples  about  open- 
ing it,  and  as  she  found  Emmeline  still  asleep,  she  sat 
down  to  read  it. 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  169 

Lord  Herbert  was  not  better,  the  cough  was  more 
frequent  and  painful,  the  oppression  on  his  chest  had  in- 
creased, his  strength  was  failing ;  it  was  the  worst  account 
that  they  had  ever  received,  and  what  marked  it  espe- 
cially was,  that  Constance  expressed  no  hopes  of  amend- 
ment, and  did  not  try  to  account  for  the  bad  symptoms  by 
some  casual  circumstance,  as  she  had  always  done  hitherto. 
Kate  read  on  hastily,  in  hopes  of  some  such  cheering  expres- 
sion before  the  close  of  the  letter,  but  there  was  none ;  she 
found,  indeed,  that  Herbert  was  very  cheerful,  and  sent 
them  his  love,  but  he  was  not  able  to  speak  much,  and 
there  Constance  ended  her  letter ;  but  there  were  a  few 
more  lines  dated  the  next  day.  '  I  could  not  bear  to  say 
so  yesterday,  but  it  is  right  that  you  and  dear  mamma 
should  be  prepared  for  what  the  next  letter  may  tell  you. 
This  last  month  has  opened  my  eyes  to  see  that  I  have 
been  deceiviog  myself  with  hope  all  this  time,  and  that  it 
is  time  to  look  at  the  reality.  It  cannot  last  much  longer 
now,  and  it  is  but  rebellion  and  uokindness  to  wish  that 
it  should.  Though,  thank  Heaven,  his  cheerfulness  never 
fails,  the  sight  of  his  worn  face,  and  the  sound  of  his  pain- 
ful breath  reproaches  me  with  not  being  willing  that  he 
should  enter  into  his  rest ;  but  he  thinks  for  me,  and  tells 
me  that  the  feeling  will  come,  and  so,  dear  sisters  and 
dear  mamma,  try  to  think  of  it  as  he  would  have  me  do, 
and  do  not  be  afraid  for  us.  I  am  very  well,  and  nothing 
can  be  kinder  than  our  brother.' 

Kate  did  her  face  in  her  hands.  0  Constance,  dear, 
dear  Constance  !  and  was  it  come  to  this  ?  Had  that 
bright,  happy  home  fleeted  away  like  one  of  Emmeline's 
visions?  What  might  not  Constance  be  doing  now?  Kate 
saw  her  bending  over  her  dying  husband,  even  as  she 
herself  was  hanging  over  Emmeline  ;  she  pictured  her 
quiet,  gentle  face,  and  the  little  nervous  movements  by 
which  her  mental  agitation  used  to  relieve  itself  And, 
oh  !  what  a  meeting  might  be  in  store  for  them ! 


170  THE    CASTLE   BUILDERS 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

The  sea  is  past,  tho  desert  near, 

Where  thou  shalt  walk  with  manna  fed ; 

Scarce  trodden  yet  the  path  of  fear, 
Not  yet  for  thee,  the  feast  is  spread. 

C.  F.  A. 

Another,  morning  had  risen,  and  found  Bellevue  still  in 
the  same  condition.  Kate  was  heavy-hearted  and  lonely, 
weighed  down  with  grief,  without  the  comfort  of  sharing 
it,  like  all  her  former  troubles  with  her  sister,  and  not 
knowing  where  to  turn.  She  knew  that  there  was  such  a 
thing  as  praying,  and  casting  her  care  on  her  Father  above, 
and  she  thought  she  tried  it ;  but  it  did  not  seem  to  com- 
fort her  ;  it  could  not  bring  back  her  dear,  kind,  bright- 
faced  Frank ;  she  could  not  realize  that  it  was  doing  good 
to  Herbert  or  to  Constance ;  and  now,  since  Emmeline 
was  rather  better,  and  Mr.  Edwards. did  not  think  badly 
of  her,  Kate  had  the  fancy  that  it  was  treating  her  like 
one  in  danger  to  pray  for  her.  Kate's  fears  for  her  had 
gone  away,  and  now  she  was  chiefly  sorry  for  her  present 
suffering,  and  that  she  could  not  tell  her  these  tidings, 
which,  while  she  knew  them  not,  were  a  double  burthen 
to  Kate. 

Emmeline  was  much  more  able  to  take  notice  to-day  ; 
she  thanked  her  nurses  for  each  attention,  liked  what  they 
gave  her  to  eat,  and  asked  a  few  questions  ;  but  Kate, 
who  was  in  fear  and  dread  lest  she  might  inquire  for 
Frank,  was  much  relieved  by  her  not  saying  one  word  of 
him  or  of  the  adventure  which  had  occasioned  her  illness. 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  171 

Miss  Townsend  thought  that  she  had  guessed  how  it  was, 
and  Kate  hoped  so,  for  she  felt  sure  she  could  never  make 
the  evasive  answer  her  mother  advised. 

Kate  was  with  her  mother  when  the  tidings  came  that 
Mr.  Willoughby  was  arrived.  Lady  Willoughby  desired 
her  to  go  down  directly,  promising  to  follow  in  a  few  min- 
utes. 

Kate  trembled  at  the  prospect  of  meeting  the  uncle 
who  had  loved  Frank  as  his  own  son,  and  lost  his  all  in 
him,  but  she  could  not  do  otherwise  than  hasten  down, 
thouo-h  willino;  to  conceal  the  tears  that  would  rush  to  her 
eyes. 

Thick,  dazzling,  blinding,  did  they  rise,  and  at  the 
door,  though  she  wiped  them  away,  more  followed.  She 
hung  her  head  as  she  gave  her  hand  to  Mr.  Willoughby's 
and  felt  it  pressed  tight  in  both  his. 

'  Yes — yes,'  said  he,  in  a  broken  voice,  '  yes,  he  was 
very  fond  of  you.' 

Kate's  tears  came  faster  and  faster,  and  she  struggled 
in  vain  with  them,  for  she  wanted  much  to  speak.  Still 
Mr.  Willoughby  held  her  hand,  and  she  knew  he  was 
looking  at  her  kindly,  and  that  his  tears  were  flowing  too. 

'  This  is  not  right,  my  dear,'  said  he  presently,  but 
rather  as  if  he  was  rebuking  himself  than  her ;  '  this  is 
not  what  he  would  have  us  do.' 

'  0  no,'  said  Kate  recovering  her  voice,  '  he  desired 
me  to  tell  you  that — that  it  is  best  as  it  is.' 

'  It  is,  yes,  I  am  sure  it  is,'  said  Mr.  Willoughby , 
'  but  now  tell  me,  are  you  quite  well — and  your  sister  ?  ' 

'  Much  better  to-daj' .' 

'  I  am  very  glad  of  it,'  said  he,  with  earnestness. 
*  And  my  poor  brother — ah  !  that  is  the  worst  of  it.' 

'  Yes,'  said  Kate  sadly. 

'  How  does  he  bear  it  ? '  said  Mr.  Willoughby,  anx- 
iously. 

'  0,  it  is  very  dreadful,'  said  Kate.  *  I  have  not  seen 
him — he  will  not  see  any  one — he  is  quite  overwhelmed — 
and  after  all  that  has  happened,  it  is  so  very  terrible  for 
him.' 

Emmeline  would  not  have  said  this,  but  Kate's  straight- 


172  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

forward  sympathy  suited  some  people  better  than  her  shy 
retreating  '  reticence.' 

'  I  knew  it,  I  feared  it.  Poor  fellow,'  said  Mr.  "Wil- 
loughby.  '  Yes,  it  is  nonsense  to  talk  of  ourselves  when 
we  think  of  him.  Where  is  he  ?  Does  he  know  that  I 
am  here  ? ' 

'  I  will  ring  and  ask,'  said  Kate.  '  I  am  very  glad  you 
are  going  to  him ;  I  do  so  long  for  some  one  to  tell  him 
dear  Frank's  message,  that  he  was  not  to  distress  himself 
about  what  past  that  day.' 

'  Eh  ?  what  ?  Ah  !  I  see  you  had  rather  not  say. 
Poor  Francis.  Well,  there  must  be  good  in  it  for  him,' 
said  Mr.  Willoughby,  as  if  talking  to  himself;  and  at  this 
moment  the  servant  coming  in,  Kate  asked  if  Sir  Francis 
knew  that  Mr.  Willoughby  was  come. 

'  I  told  him,  ma'am,  but  he  did  not  seem  to  take  much 
notice,'  said  the  servant,  hesitatingly. 

'  Is  he  in  the  study  ? '  said  Kate. 

*  No,  ma'am,  he  is  in  Mr.  Frank's  room.'  Kate  looked 
sorrowfully  and  inquiringly  at  Mr.  Willoughby. 

'  Your  mother  is  with  him,  of  course,'  said  he.  '  Ah  ! 
I  should  have  inquired  for  her  before.  This  must  be  very 
trying  for  her.' 

'  0,  she  is  very  well — pretty  well,  I  mean,'  said  Kate, 
'  but  she  is  not  there — 0,  no — she  will  come  down  pres- 
ently.' 

'  I  will  go  to  him  at  once,  then,'  said  Mr.  Willoughby. 
'  Will  you  show  me  where  the  room  is,  my  dear  ?  Your 
mother  will  not  wonder  when  she  hears  that  I  am  gone  to 
him.' 

'  0,  that  I  will,'  said  Kate,  leading  the  way,  and  feel- 
ing as  if  the  house  were  already  less  dreary  since  Mr. 
Willoughby  had  come  into  it.  And  yet  as  she  led  him 
up  the  stairs,  she  could  hardly  bear  the  thought  that  she 
was  taking  him  to  the  room  where  he  lay  lifeless  who  was, 
as  Juliet  had  said,  '  the  very  light  of  his  eyes.' 

'  0,  this  is  so  sad  for  you ! '  said  she,  as  she  paused  at 
the  head  of  the  stairs  to  point  to  the  right  door,  and  her 
tearful  eyes  spoke  the  rest. 

'  My  dear,'  said  he,  as  he  pressed  her  hand  to  thank  her, 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  173 

'  I  ought  to  bo  too  truly  rejoiced  for  his  sake,  to  grieve  so 
much  for  m j  own.  Don't  waste  your  grief  on  an  old  man 
who  has  not  many  years  before  him.  Yes,'  and  as  Kate 
kept  hold  of  his  hand,  and  looked  at  him  doubtfully,  he 
added,  '  do  you  think  I  would  not  rather  go  and  see  my 
dear  boy  ?  ' 

'  0,  you  are  so  good  !  Yes,  it  is  so  like  Constance. 
Every  one  can  bear  things  better  than  I,'  cried  Kate,  hid- 
ing her  face  on  her  hands  clasped  on  the  banisters,  and 
bursting  into  tears. 

'  Constance  !  Surely  Lord  Herbert  is  not  worse.' 

'  Herbert  is  very  ill,  dying  !  '  said  Kate,  in  a  low  voice 
of  repressed  sobbing. 

'  My  poor  dear  girl !  And  we  are  bringing  our  trou- 
bles to  grieve  you  too.  Indeed,  I  am  very  sorry,'  said  the 
good  old  man.  '  But  you  must  tell  me  all  another  time,' 
he  added  ;  '  I  must  go  to  poor  Francis  now.  The  second 
door  to  the  right,  you  say.' 

Kate  watched  him  as  he  went  along,  and  then  sighing 
deeply  and  wiping  her  tears,  she  went  to  tell  her  mother 
where  he  was. 

That  conversation  had  done  her  a  great  deal  of  good ; 
it  had  relieved  the  fulness  of  her  heart,  and  she  felt  that 
she  had  some  one  to  depend  on.  There  was  great  com- 
fort in  knowing  that  poor  Sir  Francis  was  attended  to,  for 
the  thought  of  his  lonely  grief  had  hung  painfully  and  ac- 
cusingly upon  her.  But  what  amazed  her  most  was,  how 
Mr.  Willoughby  and  Constance  could  bear  their  trouble. 
Kate  had  not  yet  been  able  to  make  up  her  mind  to  write 
to  Constance ;  she  knew  her  mother  had  done  so,  and  she 
thought  that  must  suffice  ;  she  could  say  nothing  consoling, 
nothing  that  would  not  give  her  sister  additional  pain. 

She  found  Emmeline  awake  and  better,  comfortable, 
and  alive  to  what  was  going  on.  '  You  have  been  a  long 
time  gone,  Kate,'  said  she.  '  Whom  did  I  hear  you  talk- 
ing to  on  the  stairs  ?  ' 

Kate  looked  doubtfully  and  inquiringly  at  Miss  Towns- 
end,  and  answered,  '  To  uncle  Willoughby.' 

Emmeline  asked  no  more.  Her  senses  and  powers  of 
observation  were  awake  ;  she  had  recalled  the  danger  they 


174  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

had  past,  and  she  knew  but  too  -u-ell  what  was  meant  by 
the  silence.  She  had  heard  Edwin's  voice,  his  name  had 
been  mentioned  before  her,  but  Frank's  had  never  been 
spoken.  It  would  be  agony  to  think  and  know  that  he, 
their  one  bright  spot,  he  on  whom  their  thoughts  had  cen- 
tred, he  who  was  doubly  loved  for  his  oddness,  his  strange 
half-provoking  ways,  he  who  had  taken  so  much  care  of 
them,  should  have  been  swallowed  by  those  surging  waves. 
She  would  not  bring  the  conviction  home  while  she  could 
help  it.  So  there  she  lay,  occupying  her  still  feeble 
thoughts  on  little  things  around,  the  pattern  of  the  paper, 
the  flowers  on  the  chintz  bed-curtains,  the  lights  and 
shades  from  fire  or  sunshine,  and  if  a  word  of  grave  or  sad 
import  were  spoken  near  her,  she  would  not  hear  it. 
Death  had  never  come  near  the  sisters  before.  Kate 
could  not  even  recollect  the  being  told  of  her  father's 
death,  and  though  Emmeline  could  just  remember  having 
seen  Constance  cry  and  cling  to  Mrs.  Ellison,  she  had 
little  personal  feeling  for  the  loss.  One  schoolfellow  had 
indeed  died,  but  at  her  own  home,  at  a  distance,  and,  be- 
yond the  moment's  shock,  it  had  made  no  impression, 
Now,  for  the  first  time,  they  knew  what  it  was  to  miss  one 
from  their  own  circle,  and  know  he  would  never  return 
again ;  for  the  first  time  they  felt  the  cold  heavy  weight 
of  the  knowledge  that  in  one  room  close  at  hand  there  lay 
that  same  bodily  frame  that  had  lately  eaten,  drank,  and 
talked  with  them,  shared  their  pleasures  and  pursuits ; 
but  now  how  different ;  the  same,  and  yet  how  far  from 
the  same. 

Emmeline  held  her  peace ;  it  would  have  broken  her 
heart  to  have  heard  it  said  in  so  many  words,  that  Frank 
was  dead  !  There  was  a  vague  belief  that  he  w^as  happy 
in  the  other  world,  but  she  wanted  him  here  ;  home  would 
be  too  dreary  without  him.  Poor  Emmeline,  she  was 
looking  anywhere  for  peace  but  in  the  right  place,  and  her 
spirits  were  rufiled,  and  she  was  fretful  and  complaining, 
with  a  heart  too  sad  to  be  amused,  and  yet  resolved  to 
drive  away  care  and  thought,  and  therefore  vexed  and  dis- 
contented with  all  around. 

With  Kate  time  passed  less  slowly,  because  she  had 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  175 

mucli  to  do,  and  much  to  think  of.  She  did  not  see  much 
of  Mr.  Willoughby,  for  he  was  taken  up  with  his  brother, 
whom  he  had  roused  with  some  difficulty  from  a  stupefac- 
tion of  grief,  alternating  with  violent  bursts  of  anguish,  for 
he  was  like  one  distracted,  and  Mr.  Willoughby  could 
scarcely  quiet  him  ;  but  with  the  day  of  the  funeral  there 
came  a  change.  Sir  Francis's  grief  was  more  violent  than 
ever  in  the  morning ;  he  could  not  attempt  to  attend  it, 
and  his  brother  scarcely  knew  how  to  leave  him,  but  be- 
hold, when  he  came  back,  Sir  Francis  seemed  to  have 
driven  away  all  thoughts  of  sorrow  ;  he  was  walking  about 
the  house,  giving  orders  in  a  shaking  querulous  voice,  and 
Kate,  when  she  came  down,  was  startled  to  find  him  in  the 
drawing-room,  looking,  indeed,  ten  years  older,  but  read- 
ing the  newspaper,  and  talking  about  Indian  news,  just  as 
if  nothing  had  happened.  Her  mamma  looked  quiet  and 
composed,  Edwin  had  been  coaxed  and  petted  into  very 
high  spirits,  Janet's  black  dress  seemed  to  make  her  look 
more  cold,  white,  and  moody ;  and  up-stairs,  even  the 
sight  of  their  mourning  had  not  induced  Emmeline  to  say 
one  word.  This  absolute  silence  seemed  to  Kate  more 
painful  than  any  lamentation ;  it  was  truly  his  place 
knowing  him  no  more  ;  but  there  was  no  one  to  whom  she 
could  speak,  for  Emmeline,  though  beginning  to  recover, 
was  still  so  weak  that  no  one  dared  to  press  a  painful  sub- 
ject on  her.  And  then  the  daily  fear  of  what  the  post 
might  bring  from  Malta  ! 

Kate  resolved  that  she  at  any  rate  would  not  forget 
him  nor  his  last  words,  about  Confirmation  and  Commu- 
nion; and  that  she  would  certainly  read  that  book  of  ser- 
mons he  had  mentioned.  At  her  first  free  moment,  the 
next  morning,  with  trembling  steps  she  walked  towards 
what  had  so  lately  been  the  chamber  of  death.  There  was 
an  awe-struck  feeling  on  her,  almost  a  terror,  which 
increased  as  she  came  nearer,  and  at  last,  but  for  very 
shame,  she  would  have  retreated.  She  threw  open  the 
door  noiselessly,  but  hastily,  and  hurried  forward. 

'  Oh  !  my  dear  ! '  How  violent  a  start  Kate  gave,  and 
then  how  crimson  she  blushed  as  Mr.  Willoughby  rose 
from  the  chair  where  he  had  been  sitting.     '  I  am  very 


176  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

sorry,'  said  he,  in  his  kind,  earnest,  apologizing  manner 
'  I  have  frightened  you  sadly.  There,  sit  down,  don't 
tremble  so,  I  am  very  sorry,  indeed.' 

'  0,  it  was  very  foolish,'  said  Kate,  half  smiling  at  her- 
self, as  she  really  was  obliged  to  sit  down ;  '  I  am  very 
sorry  indeed  to  have  interrupted  you.' 

'  Don't  speak  of  it,  pray  don't,'  said  Mr.  Willoughby, 
*  I  am  going.' 

*  No,  pray  don't,'  said  Kate.  '  I  was  only  come  to  look 
for  a  book.  It  was  a  book  of  Sermons.  One  of  the  last 
things  that  dear  Frank  told  us,  was  to  fetch  it  from  here 
and  read  it.     I  will  go  directly.' 

*  No,  no,  don't  go,'  said  Mr.  Willoughby,  '  unless  you 
are  in  a  hurry  to  return  to  your  sister.  I  have  been  want- 
ing to  see  you  all  this  time,  to  thank  you  for  all  your  kind- 
ness to  him.' 

*  0  uncle  ! '  said  Kate,  her  eyes  filling  with  tears,  '  I 
did  not  know  it.     No  one  could  help  loving  him,  but — ' 

'  You  shall  hear  what  he  says  himself,'  said  Mr.  Wil- 
loughby. '  In  all  his  letters  all  through  his  troubles,  poor 
fellow,  he  has  always  said  how  kind  you  two  were ;  and  he 
did  not  know  what  he  should  have  done  without  you  and 
your  sister.' 

'  0,  it  is  pleasant  to  hear  ! '  said  Kate ;  '  but — but  I 
wonder,  for  he  never  would  talk  to  us  about  them.  0, 
was  it  not  beautiful  of  him,  Mr.  Willoughby?  he  told  us 
we  should  either  be  double-faced,  or  get  into  a  scrape,  and 
so  he  never  said  one  word  to  us.  0,  Frank,  Frank,  dear 
Frank  !  how  good  he  was  !  and  how  could  any  one  make 
him  so  unhappy?  0,  and  there  is  his  Euclid,  with  the 
parallel  ruler  sticking  in  it,  just  as  he  left  it  on  Tuesday  i 
cried  Kate,  bursting  into  an  ungovernable  passion  of 
tears. 

'  My  dear,  my  dear,  this  should  not  be,'  said  Mr 
Willoughby,  laying  his  hand  on  her  gently,  and  looking 
much  distressed  ;  '  but  it  is  my  fault ;  her  spirits  are  weak, 
and  I  have  overset  her,'  said  he,  talking  to  himself 

'  0,  no,'  said  Kate,  '  don't  think  so.  It  is  every  one's 
forgetting  him  that  I  cannot  bear ;  it  makes  him  seem 
more  gone.' 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  177 

'  They  cannot  forget  him,'  said  Mr.  "Willoughby,  '  do 
not  fear  that,  my  dear.  But  if  you  really  like  to  talk  of 
him — ' 

'  I  had  rather  do  that  any  thing  !  ' 

'  And  if  it  is  not  too  much  for  you — ' 

'  No,  it  is  the  saying  nothing  that  is  dreadful' 

*  Well,  then,  it  is  the  thing  that  I  have  been  wishing 
most  of  all,  that  you  would  tell  me  about  him  ;  especially, 
if  you  can  bear  to  think  of  it,  of  that  last  hour.  But  don't 
if  you-^had  rather  not;  don't  if  it  would  overcome  you. 
E,em«nber  that,  I  beg,  for  it  was  a  fearful  thing  for  you.' 

'  I  should  like  to  tell  you  all,'  said  Kate. 

'  Very  well,  and  thank  you.  I  will  not  keep  you  from 
your  sister  now,  but  by-and-by,  when,  as  I  think  they 
said,  the  others  go  out  to  drive,  perhaps  you  could  be 
spared  to  walk  with  me.  I  think  you  must  want  a  walk  ; 
you  look  sadly  pale.' 

'  Thank  you,'  said  Kate  ;  '  I  should  like  to  come.  I 
suppose  I  must  go  away  now  ;  '  but  still  she  lingered,  and 
gazed  round  on  all  the  familiar  remembrances,  the  blotted 
books  over  which  they  had  so  lately  laughed,  a  few  half- 
finished  contrivances  for  the  amusement  of  the  children, 
his  watch  lying  on  the  table.  '  It  seems  hard  to  believe,' 
said  she,  '  but  the  worst  is  that  I  cannot  bear  to  think 
how  unhappy  he  was  all  these  last  months.  0,  if  any 
one  could  have  guessed — ' 

'  Yes,  that  is  what  his  poor  father  has  been  saying 
continually,'  said  Mr  Willoughby.  '  He  little  knew  what 
he  asked.' 

'  Frank's  heart  and  soul  were  so  set  on  you  and 
Dumblethwayte,'  said  Kate. 

'  Poor  fellow.  Yes  it  was  but  natural,  for  he  had 
never  known  any  other  home ;  but  it  was  more  than  that 
'Twas  a  longing  for  no  earthly  work,  no  earthly  home. 
He  has  it  now.     Shame  on  us  that  we  cannot  be  glad  !  ' 

'  He  felt  it  very  much  when  he  gave  it  up,'  said  Kate. 

'  He  was  more  unhappy  before  he  had  made  up  his 
mind,'  said  Mr.  Willoughby,  '  when  he  could  not  tell 
which  was  the  higher  duty.  It  was  sad  work,  but  he  has 
stood  the  trial  nobly,  my  dear  boy  has;   and,  my  dear 


1  78  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

before  you  grieve  at  what  ho  had  to  go  through,  think 
whether  he  would  have  missed  it  now.' 

Kate  did  not  understand.  '  Missed  all  that  great 
unhappiness  !  '  said  she. 

'  Thank  God,'  said  Mr.  Willoughby,  '  dear  Frank's 
life  had  always  been  so  smooth  and  so  happy,  goodness 
seemed  to  come  so  naturally  to  him,  as  I  may  say,  that 
where  would  have  been  the  trial  but  for  this  ? ' 

'  Surely  he  would  have  been  just  as  good,'  said  Kate. 

*  You  forget,'  said  Mr.  Willoughby.  '  You  know  even 
the  Captain  of  our  Salvation  was  made  perfect  through 
suffering,  and  even  when  he  felt  it  most  severely,  I  am 
sure  Frank  would  not  have  done  otherwise  than  bear  his 
cross  to.  0,  no,  perhaps  we  did  not  see  it,  but  assuredly 
the  dear  boy  needed  the  trial,  to  perfect  him  in  some  point 
that  was  wanting.  Poor  Francis,  when  he  was  trying  to 
make  his  boy  shine,  as  he  thought,  in  the  world,  he  did 
not  know  that  he  was  working  to  make  him  the  readier 
for  heaven.' 

Katherine  looked  up  surprised,  and  knew  not  what  to 
answer,  and  at  the  same  moment  she  heard  herself  called. 
Her  mother  had  sent  Edwin  to  look  for  her,  and  was  an- 
noyed at  her  red  eyes.  '  My  dear,  you  must  not  go  on  in 
this  way,  you  will  make  yourself  ill,  you  will  quite  upset 
me,  and  you  will  distress  poor  Sir  Francis  just  as  he  is 
beginning  to  recover  his  spirits  again.  Don't  let  me  see 
you  melancholy,  and  recurring  to  distressing  subjects. 
It  is  over  now,  and  you  know  he  was  not  your  brother, 
after  all.'  (How  angry  this  always  made  Kate) ;  but  she 
had  no  occasion  to  answer,  for  her  mother  had  sent  for 
her  to  consult  about  certain  crape  mantles  that  were  to  be 
ordered  for  her  and  Emmeline,  and  which  were  to  be  the 
object  of  Lady  Willoughby 's  drive  to-day. 

Strangely  did  Mr.  Willoughby's  words  recur  to  Kate. 
Her  notion  of  life  was,  that  people  were  to  be  as  happy 
and  as  good  as  they  could ;  they  ought  not  to  do  wrong 
at  any  cost;  there  were  a  great  many  misfortunes  in  the 
world,  and  those  were  lucky  people  who  got  clear  of  them, 
though  sometimes  they  both  punished  and  cured  bad 
people.     Such  was  her  practical  view  ;  intellectually  she 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  179 

knew  more ;  in  books  and  sermons  slie  heard  of  a  Guiding 
Hand,  of  an  unseen  world,  and  of  being  led  through 
aflSiction  to  the  perfect  day,  but  she  was  quite  as  little 
able  to  apply  it  to  actual  life,  as  she  would  have  been  to 
command  in  a  battle  after  reading  a  book  on  military 
tactics.  She  had  thought  more  in  the  last  few  days  than 
ever  before ;  she  was  losing  her  childish  shallowness. 
The  being  forced  to  stand  alone,  without  Emmeline's 
guidance,  was  forming  her  ;  for  hitherto  she  had  never 
troubled  herself  to  make  an  independent  reflection,  but 
had  thought  on  in  her  sister's  channels,  catching  the  idea 
from  look  or  eye,  even  when  not  spoken.  For  the  first 
time  her  mind  began  to  acquire  a  mould  of  its  own.  And 
now  she  was  walking  thoughtfully  by  Mr.  Willoughby's 
side,  along  the  path  trodden  but  a  week  ago  with  Frank. 
She  showed  him  the  places  where  they  had  played  with 
Edwin,  and  repeated  even  the  things  that  had  been  said. 
Mr.  Willoughby's  wish  was  to  go  to  the  very  spot  where 
the  accident  had  happened,  and  as  it  was  now  nearly  low 
water,  they  walked  down  to  the  beach. 

But  Kate  had  not  calculated  on  her  own  nerves.  No 
sooner  were  they  in  the  first  of  the  little  coves  than  she 
started,  and  trembled  at  the  sound  of  the  dash  of  the 
waves,  and  though  she  knew  they  were  retreating,  instead 
of  advancing,  she  could  not  help  looking  back  every 
minute  to  measure  the  space  between  the  water  and  the 
rocks  behind,  stammering  and  forgetting  what  she  was 
saying.  She  did  not  express  her  fears,  for  she  knew  they 
were  vain,  and  school-discipline  had  taught  her  to  hide, 
and  put  down  with  a  strong  hand,  all  such  secret  terrors 
and  dislikes  ;  but  Mr.  Willoughby  perceived  them. 

'  We  won't  go  on,'  said  he,  stopping ;  '  I  am  sure  you 
had  rather  not.' 

'  Thank  you,  I  do  not  mind,'  said  Kate ;  '  I  can  go  on 
very  well ;  there  is  nothing  really  to  be  afraid  of.  It  is 
all  nonsense.' 

'  No,  no,  we  had  much  better  go  back,'  said  Mr. 
Willoughby.  '  It  was  thoughtless  in  me  to  bring  you 
here.' 

'  You  are  very  kind,'  said  Kate,  gratefully,  '  but  it  is 
all  nonsense,  and  I  should  like  to  conquer  it.' 


180  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

'  That  is  right,'  said  Mr.  Willoughby  only  you  know 
you  have  had  a  great  shock,  and  you  may  not  be  fit  to  try 
these  experiments  on  yourself  just  at  present. 

'  How  very  kind  you  are,'  said  Kate;  '  but  indeed  I 
had  rather.  We  shall  never  walk  on  these  sands  again 
with  any  one  able  to  take  care  of  us,  and  Emmie  will 
mind  it  the  less  if  I  have  been  there  before.' 

*  Then  let  us  go  on,'  said  Mr  Willoughby,  approvingly, 
but  keeping  on  the  inner  part  of  the  beach,  as  much  as 
possible  away  from  the  sound  of  the  waves,  and  giving 
her  time  to  collect  herself.  She  wondered  how  such  an 
old  bachelor  could  have  learnt  so  well  how  to  treat  a 
young  lady's  nerves  ;  she  had  yet  to  learn  how  exquisite 
a  tact  is  taught  in  the  perfect  rule  of  charity.  She  led 
him  to  the  place  where  they  had  taken  refuge ;  so  high 
and  so  steep  did  the  ascent  now  look,  that  she  could  hardly 
persuade  herself  it  was  the  same  ;  she  told  him  how  care- 
fully Frank  had  helped  them,  she  repeated  all  his  words, 
which  came  back  on  her  in  the  very  scene.  Who  could 
believe  that  the  broad  expanse  of  shining  beach  had  been 
lately  covered  to  such  a  depth,  by  those  waves  that  now 
rolled  themselves  away  with  a  feeble  dull  surge,  far  in  the 
distance  ? 

'  I  can  hardly  believe  it  now,'  said  Kate.  '  How  long 
ago  it  seems,  and  yet  it  is  all  just  the  same  as  when  we 
went  down  that  day  ! ' 

'  You  should  bring  little  Edwin  here,'  said  Mr. 
Willoughby ;  *  let  him  learn  it  by  heart,  and  don't  let 
him  forget  his  brother ;  he  is  so  like  him,  so  like  what 
Frank  was  when  I  brought  him  home  to  Dumblethwayte, 
fourteen  years  ago.  Yes,  fourteen  years,  it  seems  no  time 
at  all !  '  he  added,  musingly,  '  and  yet  it  was  almost  all 
his  life.  You  see  I  must  learn  the  place  exactly,  my 
dear,'  said  he,  half-smiling,  '  for  there  will  be  old  Grace, 
and  Mrs.  Dorey,  and  Lawrence,  all  wanting  to  hear  all 
about  it.' 

'  And  shall  you  have  to  tell  them  all  ?  '  said  Kate. 

'  Yes,  of  course.  You  do  not  know  how  fond  of  him 
they  were.  There  is  Grace,  who  had  the  care  of  him  ever 
Bince  I  had  him  first,  she  loves  him  like  her  own,  I  do 


THE   CASTLE   BUILDERS.  181 

believe.  Poor  Grace,  I  did  not  know  how  to  tell  her 
when  your  mother's  letter  came ;  but  I  do  not  know  how 
it  was,  she  saw  something  was  amiss  when  she  came  in 
with  the  breakfast,  and  soon  had  it  all.  She  was  in  such 
a  state,  poor  thing,  I  was  obliged  to  send  for  her  niece  to 
take  care  of  her  before  I  came  away.  0,  yes,  they  all 
loved  him  witli  their  whole  hearts,  and  no  wonder,  for  he 
was  always  doing  something  kind  for  them,  something 
that  no  one  else  would  have  thought  of.  He  walked  all 
the  way  to  Kenderton  one  day  to  get  Lawrence  a  new 
pair  of  spectacles ;  and  if  you  could  see  the  screen  he 
made  for  old  Betty  Glover,  to  keep  oif  the  draught  as  she 
sat  at  the  door  !  Yes,  Frank  has  left  many  a  sore  heart 
at  Dumblethwayte,  but  they  will  like  to  know  that  he 
thought  of  them  then.  It  is  a  thing  to  make  some  of 
them,  at  least,  more  thoughtful.' 

'  Ah  !  and  Juliet,  how  fond  she  was  of  him,'  said  Kate. 
'  I  am  trying  to  write  to  send  his  love,  but  I  cannot  bear 
to  begin,  it  must  be  such  grief  to  her.' 

'  Yes,  they  were  very  fond  of  each  other.  Poor  Juliet, 
it  will  be  a  great  sorrow,  for  they  used  to  be  very  happy 
together.  And  so  he  thought  of  us  all,  did  he,  dear  old 
fellow  ? '  said  Mr.  AVilloughby,  leaning  against  the  rock, 
*  his  old  uncle  and  all !  0,  Kate,  you  were  a  hapjjy  girl 
to  hear  it,  I  could  almost  grudge  it  to  you.' 

'  I  would  not  have  missed  it  for  any  thing !  '  said 
Kate,  earnestly. 

'  And  the  early  Communion  on  the  Annunciation,  and 
the  last  thing  to  put  his  little  brother  in  safety,  and  say 
those  words  !  '  said  Mr  Willoughby.  '  0,  my  boy,  could 
I  have  sought  any  thing  better  for  you  ! ' 

'  The  early  Ccmmunion,'  said  Kate  ;  '*  I  did  not  know 
of  that.' 

'  It  was  Mr.  Brent  who  told  me — he  never  missed ;  he 
was  one  of  the  few  that  morning,  when  little  did  they 
think  it  was  to  be  his  last  here.' 

'He  told  us,' said  Kate,  eagerly, 'he  begged  us  so 
much  to  think  of  our  Confirmation  and  Communion  ! ' 

She  was  surprised  at  Mr.  Willoughby's  look  of  con 
Bternation. 


182  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

'  My  dear  !  wliy,  surely  you  have  been  Conlirmed  ?' 
*  No,'  said  Kate,  more  ashamed  of  the  omission  than 
bhe  had  ever  been  before,   and   frightened  at  seeing  the 
old  man  very  much  shocked. 

'Nor  your  sister?'  said  he;  then  laying  his  hand  on 
her  arm,  he  added,  '  Then  indeed  3'ou  have  double  cause 
to  be  thankful  that  you  were  spared  ! '  and  Kate  was  sure 
he  was  giving  thanks,  though  she  did  not  realize  what  he 
meant ;  and  neither  at  the  hour  of  peril,  nor  subsequently, 
had  she  considered  the  danger  of  her  own  death,  and  the 
life  after  it.  The  thought  that  those  green  waves  might 
have  closed  over  her  also,  that  she  and  Emmeline  might 
have  been  in  the  unknown  world  of  spirits,  where  Frank 
was,  yes,  and  that  the  good  old  kind  man  who  stood  by  her 
side,  whose  rejoicing  almost  swallowed  up  his  mourning 
for  his  nephew,  would  scarce  have  thought  of  her  in  the 
same  manner.  The  horrible  remembrance  of  the  rising 
water  and  dashing  spray  came  back  again  in  all  its  vivid- 
ness, the  rock  became  to  her  imagination,  what  it  might 
have  been  in  reality,  the  portal  of  two  worlds,  into  one  or 
other  of  which  she  must  have  entered.     iVnd  which  ? 

'  0,  uncle  Willoughby  ! '  cried  she,  and  the  thought  al- 
most took  away  her  breath ;  and  as  if  it  was  his  part  to 
pronounce  her  doom,  she  added,  '  Do  you  mean  that  all — 
that  our  being  saved  depended  upon  that  ? ' 

He  looked  at  her  very  kindly  and  compassionately  as 
he  said,  '  It  is  not  for  us  to  judge  of  particular  cases,  but 
surely  you  know  what  the  Catechism  says.' 

'  Generally  necessary  to  salvation ! '  repeated  Kate. 
'  0, 1  never  thought  of  all  that !  I  did  not  know  we  were 
doing  any  thing  so  dreadful !  I  know  we  were  not  nearly 
so  good  as  Frank,  nor  nearly  so  fit  to  die  ;  I  know  we — I 
mean  I,  have  numbers  of  sins,  but  I  thought — 0  !  I  don't 
know  what  I  thought.  Mr.  Willoughby,'  she  added,  try- 
ing to  recover  her  voice,  and  speak  coherently,  '  will  you 
tell  me  all  about  it,  for  I  believe  I  am  all  wrong  and  very 
bad  indeed,  and  nobody  has  ever  said  a  word  to  us  about 
these  things  since  Herbert  went  away ; '  and  she  burst 
into  tears. 

Compose  yourself,  my  dear,  compose  yourself,'  said 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  183 

Mr.  Willougliby,  making  her  sit  down  upon  a  rock.  '  In^ 
deed,  I  did  not  mean  to  distress  you — I  am  sorry — no,  I 
am  not  sorry,  if  this  is  to  be  better  for  you.  You  shall 
tell  me  any  thing  you  please,  ask  me  any  thing ;  you  know ' 
— and  he  kindly  put  his  hand  on  her  shoulder — '  you  are 
Frank's  sister,  so  you  must  be  like  my  child.'  Kate  laid 
hold  of  his  hand  and  held  it  tight.  '  How  can  you  be  so 
kind,  when  you  think  me  so  very  bad.' 

*  You  are  Frank's  sister,  you  know,'  repeated  the  old 
man,  '  if  I  had  no  other  reason  for  caring  for  you.  Be- 
sides, perhaps  I  do  not  think  you  so  very  bad.' 

*  0,  you  cannot  think  me  worse  than  I  am,'  said  Kate. 
'  I  see  how  little  I  have  cared  really  to  do  right,  and  that 
I  have  thought  hardly  at  all  about  holy  things.  Yes,  I 
know  I  am  very  bad,  but  I  did  not  think  that  you  would 
think  I  should — I  should  not  have  been  saved — if — if  I 
had  been  drowned  that  evening.' 

'  My  dear,  my  dear,  do  not  think  I  said  any  such 
thing.' 

Kate  looked  at  him  and  went  on,  '  I  thought  if  I  put 
my  trust  in  our  Saviour's  mercy — but  perhaps  I  don't  do 
that  right.     I  do  not  really  understand  it.' 

'  Come  with  me  now,'  said  Mr.  Willoughby,  '  let  us 
walk  homewards,  and  I  will  try  to  answer  you.' 

Kate  rose,  and  though  the  tide  had  begun  to  come  in 
again,  she  did  not  think  of  it  as  she  heard  only  his  voice. 

'  My  dear  child,  I  did  not  say — Heaven  forbid  I 
should — any  thing  so  dreadful  as  what  you  imagined, 
though  it  may  fairly,  and  with  all  truth,  be  said  that  each 
moment  God  spares  us,  it  is  in  His  mercy,  and  because 
we  need  a  longer  time  to  fit  us  to  go.  And  it  is  not  what 
I  think,  but  what  you  are." 

'  I  can't  feel  that  I  was  good  enough,  no,  that  nobody 
ever  could  be ;  but  surely  Emmie,  who  thinks  so  much 
more,  and  makes  such  good  schemes,  surely  you  don't 
think  so  of  her.  0  !  you  don't  half  know  how  good  she 
is,'  said  Kate. 

'  Yes,  yes,  my  dear  I  believe  it  all ;  but  it  is  of  your- 
self that  you  are  talking.' 

'  I  can't  think  of  myself  without   Emmie,'  said  Kate 


184  THE    CASTLE   EUILDERS. 

*  but  then  she  has  so  much  more  thoughtfulness,  that  it  is 
all  a  diflfercnt  thing  ;  she  does  think  about  doing  right, 
and  I  think  about  I  don't  know  what.  But  the  Confir- 
mation, that  is  the  thing,  how  does  that  make  such  a  great 
diflference  ?  I  know  it  is  a  great  solemn  vow  that  brings 
all  our  baptismal  promises  home  to  us  in  an  awful  way, 
and  that  is  why  we  were  afraid  of  it,  it  would  be  so  much 
worse  to  break  it.' 

'  But  Confirmation  is  not  only  the  vow.' 

'  Yes,  the  blessing,  the  giving  of  the  Holy  Spirit,'  said 
Kate  ;  *  but  that  we  receive  at  our  Baptism  too.  And  so 
many  little  children  die  before  they  can  be  Confirmed.' 

'  Yes,  but  we  know  what  the  Church  has  decided  in 
their  case.  Besides,  they  have  not  had  so  many  years  to 
sin  away  the  grace  received  at  Baptism.' 

'  Then  if  I  had  been  Confirmed,  that  grace  might  have 
kept  me  more  in  earnest  about  doing  right  ? ' 

'  Surely,  but  that  is  not  all.' 

*  I  have  thought  of  something,'  said  Kate,  looking 
down,  and  flushing  deeply,  '  I  know  now  why  you  were  so 
shocked.  That  text  about,  "  Except  ye  eat  the  Flesh  of 
the  Son  of  Man."' 

She  saw  that  it  was  what  he  meant,  and  after  a  pause 
she  said,  '  They  tell  us  to  put  our  trust  in  our  Saviour, 
and  that  that  is  all.' 

'  It  is  the  root  of  all,  the  life  of  all,'  said  Mr.  Wil- 
loughby,  earnestly,  and  there  he  stopped,  but  his  silence 
was  suggestive. 

'  But  these  are  the  means  ?  the  means  of  profiting  by 
it,'  said  she,  looking  up  at  him.     '  I  see  better  now.' 

'  I  was  sure  you  would,'  said  Mr.  "Willoughby. 

'  The  means  whereby  we  receive  the  same,  and  a  pledge 
to  assure  us  thereof,'  said  Kate.  '  Yes,  it  is  very  odd,  I 
knew  it  all  the  time,  but  I  never  thought — 0,  I  see,  I  see, 
I  remember  !  was  it  in  a  book  or  in  a  sermon  of  Herbert's 
that  it  said,  that  love  and  trust  in  our  Saviour  is  the  stair 
up  to  Heaven,  and  that  these  things,  these  Church  ordi- 
nances, are  the  steps?  0  yes,  and  you  are  so  happy 
about  Frank,  because  you  know  so  well  that  he  had  firm 
hold  of  the  steps.' 

i 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  185 

*  As  far  as  it  is  given  to  man  to  see,  thank  God,'  said 
Mr.  Willougliby,  fervently,  '  he  did  indeed  hold  fast  to 
them  inwardly  as  well  as  outwardly ;  their  grace  was  al- 
ways round  him,  and  he  went  on  from  strength  to  strength  !' 
'  They  had  a  book  at  Copseley,'  said  Kate,  '  where 
there  were  emblematical  pictures,  and  in  one  of  them 
there  was  a  great  ray  of  light  reaching  down  from  Heaven, 
and  good  people  were  walking  up  it ;  like  the  path  of 
glory,  as  Edwin  called  it,  over  the  sea  that  evening.  Was 
not  Frank's  life  like  that?' 

The  half  smile,  and  the  tear  in  the  old  man's  eye, 
showed  that  she  had  given  him  great  pleasure  ;  and  earn- 
est as  Kate  had  been  on  her  own  behalf  a  minute  before, 
the  thought  of  him,  of  Frank,  of  things  present,  were 
overpowering  the  more  personal  ones,  and  she  was  begin- 
ning to  talk  on  about  Frank,  but  Mr.  Willoughby  brought 
her  back.  '  And  let  us  try  to  make  our  lives  as  like  it  as 
may  be,  by  God's  Grace.' 

'  0,  I  wish  I  could,  I  wish  I  could  try  ! '  said  Kate. 
'  But  no,  I  never  could  be  good  enough  for  glory.  I  don't 
want  glory,  I  only  want  to  be  safe,  and  you  see  I  have 
not  got  hold  of  even  one  of  the  steps,  and  what  is  more,  I 
am  afraid  it  is  our  own  fault.' 
'  How,  my  dear  ?  ' 

'  We  were  to  have  been  Confirmed  at  school,'  said  Kate, 
*  but  it  was  to  have  been  just  at  the  time  that  mamma  and 
Sir  Francis  came  home,  and  we  were  shy  about  speaking 
to  them  about  it,  and  I  am  afraid  we  did  not  think  it  im- 
portant enough ;  besides,  we  were  afraid  of  it,  and  of  the 
Holy  Communion,  and  so  we  missed  it,  though  we  had 
been  prepared,  I  mean  as  far  as  examination  could  prepare 
us,  and  had  even  had  our  Confirmation  tickets.' 

Mr.  Willoughby  thought  that  this  might  not  be  en- 
tirely Kate's  own  fault,  so  he  would  not  dwell  upon  it, 
but  asked  if  there  was  not  soon  to  be  another  Confirma- 
tion. 'Yes,'  said  Kate,  'and  dear  Frank  has  been  trying 
to  stir  us  up  to  it  ever  since  he  first  heard  of  it.  I  am 
sure  we  would  not  miss  it  now  for  anything,  but  I  do  not 
know  how  to  begin  about  it.' 

'  Shall  I  speak  to  Mr.  Brent  ? '  said  Mr.  Willoughby. 


186  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

Kate  caught  at  the  proposal.  I  am  sure  Emmie  and 
I  shall  both  be  very  glad  if  you  will  be  so  kind.  But  I 
don't  want  to  be  ungrateful  to  Mr.  Brent,  and  we  do  look 
up  to  him  very  much,  but  we  are  very  much  afraid  of 
him ;   I  wish  you  could  teach  us  yourself.' 

'  I  will  answer  any  thing  you  like,  I  should  like  nothing 
better  than  to  try  to  help  you,'  said  Mr.  Willoughby, 
'  but  I  shall  not  be  here  long,  and  Mr.  Brent  is  your  own 
Clergyman.' 

'  If  you  think  it  right,'  said  Kate. 

'  Shy,  shy,'  said  Mr.  Willoughby,  '  but  that  is  soon 
got  over.  Hark  !  there  is  the  bell.  Do  you  wish  to  go 
home  to  your  sister,  or  will  you  come  to  Church  this 
evening  1 ' 

'  Emmie  will  not  expect  me  yet,'  said  Kate.  '  I 
should  like  to  go.' 

They  crossed  the  fields  which  led  towards  the  town, 
and  entered  the  Church.  It  was  the  first  time  Kate  had 
been  there  •  since  the  morning  before  the  accident,  and 
there  was  something  strange  in  finding  it  so  unchanged. 
As  she  stood,  knelt,  and  followed  the  Prayers  and 
Psalms,  her  thoughts  often  roamed  away;  a  desultory 
life  like  hers  had  been  no  training  in  devotion.  She  was 
in  earnest  now ;  her  eyes  had  been  open  to  perceive  that 
Frank  had  led  a  hidden  life,  that  there  was  something 
going  on  within  him,  of  which  his  outward  acts  were  the 
tokens ;  and  for  the  first  time  she  saw  that  that  hidden 
life  was  the  real  one,  that  she  herself,  while  satisfied  with 
the  material  world,  was  living  in  a  dream,  and  that  it  was 
only  they  who  look  at  the  things  that  are  not  seen,  whose 
life  had  any  realit3^  There  was  the  abiding  conscious- 
ness that  except  her  Baptism,  she  had  missed  the  taking 
hold  of  the  pledges  of  salvation,  and  far  and  dark  arose 
behind  her  the  long  array  of  actions,  faulty  in  themselves  ; 
and  how  few,  if  any,  performed,  because  she  stood  in  the 
presence  of  God. 

She  had  looked  forward  to  joining  in  the  thanksgiving 
with  especial  thoughts  of  her  preservation  from  danger, 
but  her  attention  had  gone  away,  and  she  felt  herself 
humiliated  by  having  thus  missed  it.     She  came  out  m9X(* 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS,  187 

dissatisfied  with  herself,  and  yet  hoping  that  this  might 
be  the  starting  point  for  doing  better.  They  lingered  a 
little,  and  Mr.  AVilloughby  looking  across  towards  the 
east  end  of  the  Church,  said,  in  a  low  voice,  '  There.' 
Kate  saw  the  new-made  grave,  but  they  could  not  go  up 
to  it.  She  could  not  separate  Frank  from  the  body  that, 
as  she  shuddered  to  think,  lay  beneath  the  green  turf. 
Herbert,  too,  might  it  not  be  even  now  the  same  with 
him  ?  And  Kate  herself,  she  had  escaped  death  once, 
but  it  must  come  some  time  or  other,  she  was  going  on  to 
the  grave.  If  she  could  but  be  safe.  Mr.  Willoughby 
walked  slowly,  and  stopped  several  times,  till  presently 
Mr.  Brent  overtook  them.  He  shook  hands  with  Mr. 
Willoughby,  and  inquired  with  much  interest  after  Miss 
Berners  and  the  rest  at  home.  '  Here  is  a  catechumen 
for  you,'  Mr.  Willoughby  said,  '  who  has  only  been  pre- 
vented by  a  little  shyness,  from  applying  to  you  be- 
fore.' 

Kate  had  been  far  from  expecting  this,  and  crimsoned 
all  over  as  Mr.  Brent  asked,  rather  as  if  pleased  than 
otherwise,  '  You  are  not  Confirmed  then  ? ' 

'  No,'  said  she,  looking  down,  'nor  my  sister.' 

'  I  thought  it  must  be  so,'  said  Mr,  Brent,  '  and — ' 

'  My  brother's  coming  home  took  them  from  school, 
and  their  Confirmation  was  prevented,  unfortunately,  last 
year,'  said  the  much  quicker  Mr.  Willoughby,  '  but  they 
are  very  anxious  for  it  now.  Perhaj)s,  when  Miss  Kate 
has  seen  her  mamma  and  sister,  and  spoken  about  it,  we 
may  be  able  to  make  some  arrangements  about  your  see- 
ing them.' 

'  Certainly,'  said  Mr.  Brent.  '  I  suppose  it  will  be 
better  for  me  to  come  to  you  ? ' 

0,  thank  you,  yes,  pray — '  said  Kate,  hesitatingly, 
and  rather  frightened,  '  but  my  sister  is  not  well  enough 
yet,  thank  you.' 

'  Yes,  yes,  we  will  make  further  arrangements,'  said 
Mr.  Willoughby,  soothingly. 

'  I  shall  be  very  glad  to  do  whatever  will  suit  you 
best,'  said  Mr.  Brent,  who  knew  he  might  safely  trust  hia 
arrangements  to  Mr.  Willoughby. 


188  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

'  Thank  you,  you  are  very  kind — good  morning  ; '  and 
they  went  their  diflferent  ways. 

'  Did  I  frighten  you,  did  I  hui'ry  it  on  too  much  ? '  said 
Mr.  Willoughby,  apologetically. 

'  No ;  oh  no,  thank  you ;  I  am  very  glad  to  have  it 
done,'  said  Kate,  sighing,  and  then  they  walked  fast  till 
they  came  indoors.  Kate  ran  eagerly  up  stairs,  and  into 
the  room  where  Emmeline  sat  wrapped  up  in  shawls,  in  a 
great  chair  by  the  fire.  Miss  Townsend  was  by  the  table, 
reading  aloud,  but  as  soon  as  Kate  entered,  she  rose  and 
went  away. 

'  Well,  dear  Emmie,  how  have  you  been  ?  Have  you 
wanted  me  ? ' 

'No,  not  much;  mamma  came  up  before  she  went 
out,  and  nurse  brought  in  Cecilia  for  a  little  while,  and 
she  was  very  pleasant  and  good.  You  must  have  had  a 
long  walk.' 

'  To  the  beach  with  Mr.  Willoughby,'  said  Kate, 
gravely. 

'  You  have  not  ?  No,  don't  talk  to  me  about  it,  Kate  ; 
I  can't  bear  it,'  and  Emmeline  shuddered. 

'  And  we  have  been  to  Church,'  said  Kate.  '  And  I 
have  had  such  a  talk  with  uncle  Willoughby.' 

Emmeline  turned  her  head  away,  she  was  afraid  to 
hear  about  it. 

'  And  Emmie,  he  has  spoken  to  Mr.  Brent  about  our 
Confirmation.' 

'  Has  he,  indeed  ? '  said  Emmeline,  starting,  and 
speaking  half  reproachfully  ;  '  0,  Kate  ! ' 

'  I  said  you  were  not  well  enough  for  the  examination,' 
added  Kate,  *  and  you  shall  not  be  hurried ;  they  were 
both  very  kind,  and  Mr.  Brent  will  do  everything  to  suit 
us.' 

'  I  am  sure  I  must  be  very  well  indeed,  before  I  can 
undergo  another  examination,'  said  Emmeline. 

'  But  you  would  not  miss  another  opportunity  on  any 
account,'  said  Kate.     '  Remember — ' 

'  No,  indeed,'  said  Emmeline;  'but  I  am  not  well 
enough  to  think  yet.  0  Kate,  this  little  sitting  up  has 
tired  me  very  much.' 


THE    CASTLE   BUILDERS.  189 


CHAPTER   XV. 

Prnne  thon  thy  words,  the  thoughts  control, 

That  o'er  thee  swell  and  throng; 
They  will  condense  within  thy  soul, 

And  turn  to  purpose  strong. 

LtraT  Apostolioa. 

In  the  evening,  came  another  letter  from  Malta,  very 
short,  for  Constance  could  spare  little  time  from  her  hus- 
band, who  still  lived,  though  in  sad  suffering. 

'  Poor  young  fellow  ! '  said  Sir  Francis,  pettishly,  as 
if  angered  at  sorrow  being  brought  before  him  again. 

'  My  poor  Constance  ! '  softly  murmured  his  wife  ;  '  it 
will  be  enough  to  break  one's  heart  to  see  her  come  home 
a  widow.  Only  nineteen,  poor  love ;  I  am  sure  I  shall 
never  bear  it!  ' 

Sir  Francis  was  still  too  much  subdued  to  impeach  the 
Daily  Service  as  the  origin  of  Lord  Herbert's  illness,  but 
he  did  what  was  almost  as  unpleasant — speculating  on 
what  Lady  Herbert's  income  would  be.  Kate  turned  her 
eyes  on  him,  and  wondered  if  he  could  be  the  man  who, 
two  evenings  previously,  had  been  so  overwhelmed  w^ith 
grief  The  furrows  on  his  face  were  more  deeply  ploughed, 
his  eyes  were  sunk,  he  looked  more  worn  and  old,  but  the 
grief  had  been  like  a  tornado,  crushing,  tearing,  uprooting, 
and  passing  away  without  any  fertilizing  effect  on  the  soil.' 

'  Don't  you  think,'  said  Kate,  suddenly  breaking  into 
the  midst,  '  that  Emmie  ought  to  hear  this  ? ' 

'  Ah !  poor  Emmie.  My  dear,  you  must  be  cautious. 
Kememoer,  sue  is  very  weak.' 


190  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

'  Yes,  but  the  shock  will  be  so  much  worse  when  it 
does  come,'  said  Kate. 

*  Quite  right,  I  should  think,'  said  Mr.  Willoughby, 
looking  up. 

Lady  Willoughby  thought  that  she  ought  not  to  be 
told  till  Mr.  Edwards'  sanction  had  been  obtained,  and 
after  both  she  and  Sir  Francis  had  brought  several  in- 
stances to  support  their  opinion,  she  desired  Kate  to  ring 
for  the  bed-room  candles. 

Mr.  Willoughby's  look  and  pressure  of  the  hand  gave 
a  soothing,  refreshing  sensation  of  sympathy  and  aflfection 
to  poor  Kate ;  though  she  did  not  know  how  he  was  pity- 
ing her  in  his  heart,  and  thinking  how  hard  it  was  for  her 
good  impressions  to  take  root  in  such  an  atmosphere. 

All  the  way  up-stairs.  Lady  Willoughby  was  bewailing 
this  sad  event,  coming  just  as  they  might  hope  to  be  re- 
covering their  spirits;  it  was  most  untoward;  and  exactly 
when  she  was  kioking  forward,  too,  to  introducing  Emme- 
line  and  Kate. 

'  I  am  sure  it  will  be  a  long  time  before  we  will  feel 
gay  enough  to  enjoy  that !  thank  you,  mamma,'  said  Kate, 
sorrowfully;  '  and  I  had  much  rather  be  safe  than  gay.' 

'  That  is  what  I  say,'  continued  her  mother,  without 
much  attending  to  the  latter  part  of  the  speech — '  your 
spirits  are  quite  gone,  and  while  this  sad  state  of  things 
continues,  we  can  do  nothing  to  raise  them.  And  to  be 
sure  the  poor  good  old  man  likes  it,  and  he  is  not  going 
to  stay  long,  and  he  is  Sir  Francis's  brother,  so  that  I 
would  not  have  you  do  anything  at  all  like  neglect  of  him; 
but  I  think  those  long  walks  with  him  are  very  bad  for 
you.  You  come  in  with  your  eyes  as  red !  And  what  u 
the  use  of  dwelling  on  the  poor  boy  for  ever? ' 

'  Mamma,'  said  Kate,  aghast,  '  those  walks  are  my 
greatest  delight.' 

'Well,  they  will  not  last  long,'  said  Lady  Willoughby. 
'  It  is  very  kind  and  attentive  in  you,  and  I  certainly 
would  not  prevent  it,  for  I  believe  his  nephew  is  a  great 
loss  to  him,  poor  old  man.' 

'  I  wish  I  could  be  as  good  as  he  is,'  said  Kate. 

'  You  are  quite  good  enough  for  me,  my  dearest,'  said 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  191 

Lady  "Willoughby.     '  I  do  not  know  what  I  should  have 
done  without  you  at  this  sad  time.' 

If  there  had  not  been  much  on  Kate's  spirits,  into 
which  Emmeline  did  not  choose  to  inquire,  she  would  as- 
suredly have  seen  the  bad  news  in  her  face,  for  she  was 
broad  awake,  and  her  sister  was  obliged  to  exert  herself 
to  talk  and  read  her  to  sleep.  But  when  she  was  at  length 
asleep,  and  Kate  knelt  down  and  hid  her  face  in  her  hands, 
she  did  feel  comfort;  for  now,  for  the  first  time,  she  truly 
felt  that  her  Baptism  had  made  her  a  child  of  God,  and 
that  He  was  the  living  Father  of  Constance  and  of  Her- 
bert too,  and  could  send  comfort  upon  them  aU.  And  if 
the  thought  so  relieved  her,  wandering,  erring,  and  un 
thankful  as  she  had  hitherto  been,  what  must  it  not  be  to 
them,  who,  as  she  believed,  had  never  gone  astray? 

She  slept  quietly,  and  her  morning  walk  to  Church 
with  Mr.  Willoughby,  far  from  depressing  her,  as  her 
mamma  fancied,  braced  and  cheered  her.  She  had  the 
sad  pleasure  of  telling  him  all  about  Lord  Herbert,  his 
arrangements  in  his  curacy,  and  how  happy  they  had  been 
together,  and  of  seeing  that  he  thought  it  all  admirable. 
And  the  thorough  reality  of  his  faith  in  the  unseen  world, 
and  his  conviction  that  all  was  ordered  for  the  best,  raised 
her  for  the  time,  to  something  of  the  same  tone.  Kate 
was  very  impressible,  and  now,  for  want  of  Emmeline's 
guiding  influence,  her  mind  was  fast  winding  itself  round 
him.      \Yould  this  last  when  he  was  gone? 

Mr.  Edwards  held  that  Miss  Berners  had  better  be 
told  of  Lord  Herbert's  danger,  since  it  might  be  difficult 
to  conceal  the  tidings  of  his  death,  when  they  should 
actually  arrive,  and  the  shock  would  then  come  without 
preparation,  and  might  have  *  a  serious  effect  on  her 
delicate  frame.' 

Lady  Willoughby  would  never  do  anything  painful^ 
and  of  course  the  communication  was  left  to  Kate,  who, 
though  generally  ready  to  rush  into  saying  anything  at  the 
first  moment,  had  been  frightened  by  all  that  had  been 
said,  and  when  at  last  she  went  up-stairs,  she  looked  so 
desperate  and  resolved,  that  her  face  alarmed  her  sister 
into  saying,  '  My  dear  Kate,  what  is  the  matter  ? ' 


192  .    THE    CASTLE   BUILDERS. 

'  Do  I  look  as  if  there  was  anything  the  matter?'  said 
Kate  in  a  rigidly  calm  voice. 

'  You  do,  indeed,  said  Emmeline,  growing  frightened. 
'  Come,  tell  me  Kate.' 

'  There  is  a  bad  account  of  Herbert,'  said  Kate,  doling 
out  her  words  as  Miss  Danby  used  to  do. 

*  Say  it  at  once,'  don't  keep  me  in  suspense,'  said  Em- 
meline, '  he  is  dead  ! ' 

*  0,  no,  no,  ^0,'  cried  Kate,  '  do  not  think  so.' 

*  I  am  sure  of  it,'  said  Emmeline,  *  and  mamma  has 
ordered  you  not  to  tell.    Come,  Kate,  say.    0,  Constance !' 

'  No,  Emmie,  he  is  alive — indeed  he  is — at  least  it  was 
so  when  Constance  wrote.  Here  read  for  yourself;  the 
letter  came  last  night.' 

Kate  threw  both  letters  into  her  lap,  and  watched  her 
face  eagerly.  It  was  better  than  she  expected,  for  even 
they  were  a  relief.  Kate  did  not  know  whether  to  be  glad 
or  sorry,  when  she  saw  the  tears  flowing  fast  down  her 
sister's  cheeks,  as  she  drew  a  vivid  picture  of  what  might 
even  now  be  passing  at  Malta. 

'  0,  Kate,  never  to  see  him  again,  and  when  we  have 
been  so  happy  together,  and  sweet,  dear  Constance,  droop- 
ing and  saddened  for  life ;  she  will  not  live  long,  Kate,  I 
am  sure  she  will  not.  She  loves  Herbert  too  much.  O, 
is  it  not  cruel  ? ' 

'  Don't  say  such  things,  dear  Emmie  ;  it  only  makes 
us  more  unhappy,  and  you  know  we  shall  have  to  comfort 
her  when  she  comes  home.' 

'  Don't  talk  of  her  coming  home,'  cried  Emmeline  ; 
'  it  will  be  only  to  see  her  droop  and  fade.  I  know  what 
it  will  be  like  : 

"Despair  it  was  come,  and  she  thought  it  was  content, 
She  thought  it  was  content,  and  yet  her  cheek  grew  pale, 
And  she  drooped  like  a  lily  broke  down  by  the  hail.'" 

'  Yes,'  said  Kate,  crying  bitterly ;  '  but  we  must  show 
how  we  love  her.' 

'  Our  love — yes,  we  love  her  with  all  our  hearts,'  said 
Emmeline,  with  an  expressive  gesture,  '  but  what  can  we 
do  ?  Don't  you  know,  Kate,  that  the  very  utmost  of  sis- 
ters' love  is  nothing  to  what  she  is  losing?' 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  193 

'  Losing,  oil !  no,  never  losing,'  said  Kate ;  '  how  often 
you  have  said  that  love  never  dies.  Mr.  Willoughby  does 
not  feel  as  if  he  had  lost  Frank's  love.' 

'  It  may  be  there,'  said  Emmeline — '  yes,  I  believe 
assuredly  it  is,  but  it  is  not  warm  about  one's  heart,  as  it 
is  here.  0,  Kate,  Kate,  how  dreary  the  world  will  be 
now !     Every  bit  of  our  happiness  is  gone  away  for  ever.' 

*  Not  each  other,'  said  Kate,  and  she  whispered,  *  not 
trying  to  be  better !' 

'  But  think,  think,'  said  Emmeline,  impatiently,  '  of 
day  after  day,  going  on,  trying  to  find  something  to  care 
for,  and  a  stupid  walk  every  day,  and  hearing  nothing  but 
mamma  and  Sir  Francis  all  the  evening.  And  he  for 
whose  sake  there  was  some  pleasure  in  exerting  oneself, 
he  who  made  all  bright  that  he  touched,  he  whom  I  loved 
like  a  brother — 0,  Kate,  Kate,'  and  again  Emmeline  hid 
her  face  overpowered  with  weeping. 

Kate  would  have  taken  this  moment  for  telling  her 
how  affectionately  Frank  had  mentioned  them  to  his  uncle, 
but  Emmeline  would  only  talk  herself,  of  the  notion  that 
all  her  happiness  was  over ;  Frank  had  been  their  only 
comfort  in  their  own  house,  Herbert  and  Constance  their 
only  hope  beyond  it,  and  she  had  not  energy  enough  to 
catch  at  the  thought  of  comforting  her  sister ;  the  dread 
of  meeting  grief  only  oppressed  her  as  it  did  her  mother. 

Kate  was  called  away,  having  caught  all  her  sister's 
despondency,  and  conscious  that  she  had  not  said  any- 
thing that  she  ought.  She  did  not  get  a  walk  with  Mr. 
Willoughby ;  her  mother  made  a  point  of  taking  her  for  a 
drive,  and  she  was  obliged  to  endure  the  Marine  Prome- 
nade. 

Weary,  sad,  heavy-hearted,  her  spring  of  hope  in  the 
desire  of  goodness  fast  failing  her,  she  slowly  walked  up 
stairs,  leaning  on  the  balusters.  That  consciousness  of 
being  the  child  of  a  loving  Father,  had  left  her — the 
thought  of  Frank's  path  of  glory  was  away — she  only  saw 
that  he  was  gone,  that  Herbert  was  going,  that  Emmeline 
was  ill  and  miserable,  Constance  probably  broken-hearted, 
the  world  all  dreariness  and  sadness.  She  entered  the 
room.  Miss  Townsend  was  reading  aloud,  and  Emmeline 
9 


194  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

was  sitting  upright,  leaning  forward,  her  hands  clasped, 
her  eyes  glistening,  her  cheek  touched  with  a  *  dawning 
bloom.' 

'0,  Kate!  it  is  so  beautiful!'  exclaimed  she;  and 
Kate,  taking  off  her  bonnet,  and  sitting  down,  heard  the 
concluding  page  of  a  sermon;  after  which  Miss  Townscnd 
closed  the  book,  and,  as  Emmoliue  eagerly  said, '  0,  thank 
you,  is  not  it  most  beautiful  V '  answered  in  her  demure 
voice,  '  Yes,  it  is  very  striking,'  then  put  some  coals  on 
the  fire,  and  left  the  room. 

'  She  has  not  one  spark  of  enthusiasm  in  her,'  cried 
Emmeline,  impatiently.  '  Kate,  I  wish  you  would  begin 
again,  and  read  it  over  to  me.  I  want  to  drink  it  in,  and 
see  if  you  do  not  delight  in  it.' 

It  was  in  one  of  those  volumes  which  Frank  had  de- 
sired them  to  read.  Emmeline  had  begun  by  scarcely 
attending,  but  the  beauty  of  the  language  gradually  had 
attracted  her,  and  she  was  now  full  of  excitement.  Kate 
willingly  complied,  for  she  was  rejoiced  for  her  sister's 
sake,  and  glad  for  her  own,  to  be  brought  back  to  the 
unseen  realities  of  which  she  was  beginning  to  lose  her 
grasp.  The  sermon  seemed  to  have  been  sent  as  an 
answer  to  their  complaints  of  loneliness  and  dreariness. 
It  spoke  of  the  glorious  company  to  which  they  belonged; 
of  the  Angels  at  their  side;  of  the  Saints  made  perfect, 
who  were  their  brethren;  of  the  whole  Catholic  Church, 
praying  with  them,  and  for  them ;  of  the  Comforter 
within  their  hearts;  of  the  Brother  who  is  touched  with 
a  feeling  of  our  infirmities;  of  the  Father  whose  hand  is 
ever  over  us.  Dreary  and  dark  the  world  around  might 
be,  but  the  path  of  the  righteous  would  only  bo  a  shining 
light,  shining  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day. 

It  was  beautiful,  and  how  doubly  beautiful,  because  it 
was  true,  less  than  the  truth  instead  of  more  !  Peace  re- 
turned to  Kate's  rufiied  breast,  as  the  invisible  unfolded 
itself  so  refreshingly  ;  joy  glanced  in  Emmeline's  eyes,  as 
if  it  had  been  some  new  thing  that  she  had  heard.  '  It 
is  a  message  from  Heaven,  sent  us  by  our  dear  Frank,' 
said  she.  '  0,  yes,  Kate,  the  gloomier  the  night  around, 
the  brighter  shows  the  Christian's  path.' 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  195 

'Indeed  it  does,"  said  Kate;  'wc  can  see  now  the 
bright  thread  like  those  in  the  Dark  River.  Don't  you 
remember,  Emmie  ? ' 

'  Oh,  yes  !'  exclaimed  Emmeline,  '  it  is  a  different  thing 
now,  for  we  all  bear  a  charm  within ;  you  and  I,  Kate, 
may  live  in  a  world  of  our  own.' 

'■  The  real  world  ? '  said  Kate. 

'  Yes,  the  only  reality.  Oh  !  where  have  our  hearts 
been  so  long?  That  is  the  world,  Kate,  where  we  may 
truly  meet  Dear  Frank,  and  Herbert,  and  our  own  father 
— yes,  more  truly  than  those  with  whom  we  have  outward 
intercourse.' 

'When  we  really  do  come  near,  to  the  Altar,  I  mean,' 
said  Kate — '  0,  Emmie,  don't  you  wish  for  the  time  ? ' 

'  With  all  my  heart,'  said  Emmeline  ;  '  then  we  shall 
be  full  Christians,  united  to  the  better  world,  within  and 
above,  and  independent  of  the  earthly  world  below  and 
around.' 

'  Yes,  I  am  very  glad  uncle  Willoughby  has  made  a 
beginning,  and  spoken  to  Mr.  Brent,'  said  Kate ;  '  I  hope 
we  shall  soon  be  able  to  fix  a  day.' 

'  Mr.  Brent ! '  repeated  Emmeline  ;  '  yes,  he  is  a  very 
good  man,  and  I  am  sure  we  have  every  ground  of  strong 
gratitude,  but  I  do  not  at  all  look  forward  to  a  meeting 
with  him.  His  dry,  cold,  matter-of-fact  manner,  is  what 
I  could  never  bear  on  a  subject  like  this ;  it  would  drive 
away  all  my  feelings.' 

Kate  sighed,  and  disliked  the  notion  of  the  interviews 
more  than  she  had  done  before.  However,  when  she  went 
down  stairs  again,  it  was  with  a  cheerful,  trusting,  hoping 
heart. 

These  thoughts  did  not  lose  their  force;  Emmeline 
found  in  them  her  only  rest  from  her  sorrows.  Perhaps, 
indeed,  she  liked  to  make  the  worst  of  her  home  for  the 
sake  of  feeling  herself  and  her  sister  still  more  of  bright 
lights  in  a  naughty  world.  Kate  went  along  with,  and 
was  guided  by,  all  she  said,  and  was  the  happier  for  it. 
She  still  walked  with  Mr.  Willoughby,  while  her  mother 
and  Sir  Francis  drove  out  together,  often  taking  Edwin 
with  them ;  Miss  Townsend  read  to  Euameline,  and  Janet 
walked  with  Cecilia  and  the  nurse. 


196  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

Now  nurse  liked  nothing  so  well  as  to  parade  Cecilia 
up  and  down  the  Marine  Promenade,  or  the  terrace,  where 
people  often  used  to  stop  her,  to  admire  the  pretty  child, 
and  where  other  nursemaids  were  to  be  met,  to  whom  she 
could  have  the  pleasure  of  telling  the  history  of  the  acci- 
dent, her  master's  grief,  and  her  own  exertions.  Nurse, 
in  her  new  mourning,  and  with  the  two  little  girls  in  black, 
felt  herself  a  person  of  still  more  consequence,  and  paced 
along  with  great  dignity.  Now,  to  Janet,  this  stately 
orderly  walk  was  no  small  punishment  in  itself;  she  was 
told  to  play  with  the  children  who  were  with  the  other 
nurses,  but  she  was  shy,  and  shrank  from  them  ;  while  the 
sweet-faced  Cecilia  laughed  and  looked  delighted ;  or  she 
hung  back,  and  kept  aloof  from  the  talk  of  the  maids, 
with  a  repugnance  to  hearing  the  history  of  her  brother's 
death,  and  her  father's  grief  gossipped  over.  Then  nurse 
pointed  her  out,  and  told  the  other  maids  that  there  never 
was  a  more  sullen,  jealous-tempered  child ;  unlike  the 
others,  how  very  unlike  dear  little  Miss  Cecilia;  and  poor 
Janet  saw  the  evil  eyes  of  the  nurses,  and  the  wondering 
curious  glances  of  those  happy  little  children,  whom  her 
imagination  pictured  as  calling  her  '  that  naughty  little 
girl.'  Her  belief  in  her  own  jealousy  grew,  and  with  it 
grew  the  temper  itself,  and  bitterness  against  her  brother 
and  sister ;  for  there  was  no  concealment  that  Edwin  was 
the  pet  and  the  hero ;  and  he  who  had  hitherto  been  her 
companion  in  comparative  neglect,  was  now  set  above  her 
everywhere  but  in  the  school-room.  There,  shall  we  say 
that  Miss  Townsend's  strong  feeling  for  her  poor  little 
neglected  Janet,  did  not  bias  her  a  little  too  much  in  her 
favor?  or  was  it  that  Edwin  was  really  '  set  up,'  and  less 
well  behaved  ?  Certain  it  is,  that  Edwin  was  often  in  dis- 
grace, and  Janet  was  never  sorry  for  it.  Frightened  a 
her  joy  in  his  misfortunes,  she  hid  it  carefully  from  all 
eyes,  and  went  on  in  moodiness  and  reserve. 

Saturday  morning  came,  and  Mr.  Willoughby  must 
go  back  to  the  solitary  home,  from  which  the  brightest 
earthly  hope  was  gone  for  ever.  Kate  walked  by  him  to 
Church  that  morning. 

'  Would  it,  would  it  be  too  great  a  favour,'  said  Mr. 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  197 

Willougliby,   as  tlicy  were  going  home,   '  to  ask  you  to 
write  to  me  sometimes?' 

'  0,'  cried  Kate,  eagerly, '  may  I  ?  Would  you  be  so 
kind  ? ' 

'  The  kindness  will  be  to  me,'  said  Mr  Willoughby,  in 
bis  tboroughly-in-earnest  manner. 

'But  to  write  silly  young  ladies'  letters  to  you?' 
said  Kate. 

'  Never  mind,'  said  Mr.  Willoughby,  *  if  it  only  is  not 
taking  up  too  much  of  your  time.  You  see,  my  dear,  I 
hope  it  is  not  selfish  of  me,  but  I  shall  miss  my  boy's 
letters,  and  I  shall  want  to  know  about  my  brother,  and 
,your  mother  and  the  children,  and  of  Lord  Herbert  and 
your  sister.' 

*  0,  I  do  not  want  any  persuading;  it  will  be  the 
greatest  pleasure,  the  greatest  comfort  to  me,'  said  Kate. 

'  Thank  you.  I  am  afraid  you  will  not  find  me  a 
good  correspondent  in  return,'  added  Mr.  Willoughby. 
'  An  old  stupid  country  parson  has  not  much  to  say  out 
of  his  parish  ;  humdrum  letters,  I  am  afraid.' 

'0,  no,  you  know  I  have  heard  so  much  about 
Dumblethwayte,'  said  Kate.  '  I  know  almost  all  the 
people  :  Grace,  and  Lawrence,  and  Mrs.  Dory,  and  Betty; 
you  will  tell  me  all  about  them.  And  perhaps  some  day 
Sir  Francis  will  bring  us  to  see  you ;  how  I  should  like 
that.' 

He  smiled  well  pleased.  '  Aye,  aye,'  said  he,  '  and 
you  will  tell  me  about  your  Confirmation,  and  how  you 
get  on  with  Mr.  Brent.' 

'  0  yes ;  and  may  I  ask  you  ?  will  you  answer  me 
when  we  are  in  a  difiiculty  ?  0,  how  kind  you  are  !  Now 
I  have  some  hope  of  keeping  up  the  remembrance  of  wha*, 
we  cannot  see.' 

'  May  you  never  lose  it,  my  dear,'  said  he,  and  they 
went  into  the  house. 

An  hour  after,  Kate  stood  at  the  door  with  the  rest 
of  the  party,  wishing  Mr.  Willoughby  good-bye.  She  felt 
as  if  the  '  G-od  bless  you,'  with  which  he  shook  hands  with 
her,  was  a  holy  charm. 

Before  he  went,  he  had  assisted  in  making  an  appoint- 


198  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

mcnt  with  Mr.  Brent  for  the  next  week.  Emmeline  wa3 
much  better,  able  to  drive  out,  and  to  be  down  stairs  all 
the  evening.  She  was,  however,  still  weak,  nervous,  and 
excitable,  sometimes  rather  feverish,  and  as  Mr.  Edwards 
and  Lady  Willoughby  used  to  say  to  each  other,  her  con- 
stitution had  received  a  great  shock,  and  the  oppression 
on  her  spirits  prevented  her  from  rallying.  The  truth 
was,  that  she  could  talk  to  Kate,  read,  and  work  herself 
up  into  great  excitement,  and  be  happier  than  in  any  of 
her  former  visions,  for  there  was  more  self-approval  and 
certainty  that  it  was  not  a  dream ;  but  this  was  only  when 
they  were  alone  together ;  when  with  the  rest  of  the 
family,  she  was  abstracted  and  melancholy,  and  the  va- 
cancy which  Frank  had  left,  struck  her  more  sensibly, 
as  the  others  were  becomin<x  in  some  de^rree  accustomed 
to  it. 

Both  dreaded  Mr.  Brent,  and  looked  forward  to  the 
interview  with  reluctance,  not  lessened  by  their  shame  at 
having  such-  feelings  towards  their  rescuer.  His  stiff  dry 
manner  disagreed  with  Emmeline's  enthusiasm,  and  the 
remembrance  of  the  old  awkwardness  with  the  London 
curate,  served  as  a  bugbear  ;  but  it  was  inevitable,  if 
they  were  to  go  through  with  the  Confirmation,  and  they 
were  thoroughly  in  earnest  in  meaning  to  do  this,  if  it 
were  only  for  the  sake  of  fulfilling  Frank's  dying  request. 

The  day  had  come,  and  in  the  morning  Emmeline  re- 
ceived a  long  letter  from  Juliet,  describing  her  uncle's 
first  Sunday  at  home,  and  the  strong  tokens  of  affection 
everywhere  testified  by  his  parishioners  for  him  and  for 
his  nephew. 

The  letter  made  Emmeline  cry,  and  she  looked  very 
languid  when  she  came  down  to  her  mother's  dressing- 
room.  She  was  restless  and  nervous  about  Mr.  Brent's 
coming,  and  was  working  herself  up  to  a  very  unnecessary 
and  exaggerated  degree  of  dread.  If  Frank  had  been 
there  to  laugh  at  her,  it  would  have  been  the  best  thing ; 
but  Kate  was  of  the  same  mind,  that  it  would  be  very 
formal  and  unpleasant.  And  Lady  Willoughby  thought 
it  very  awkward,  very  strange ;  indeed,  when  she  was  at 
school,  people  were  Confirmed  without  any  thing  like  such 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  199 

preparation.  It  was  all  very  right  for  poor  people ;  but 
Mr.  Brent  could  not  doubt  that  they  had  been  properly 
instructed.  Moreover,  she  was  sure  Emmie  was  not  fit  to 
see  him  to-day. 

'  0,  yes,  mamma,  I  assure  you  I  am  ;  I  would  not  put 
it  off  on  any  account,'  said  Emmeline,  feebly. 

*  But  there  will  be  plenty  of  time,  my  dear,  if  you 
are  so  anxious  about  it.  The  Confirmation  is  not  for  a 
month.' 

*  Hark,  there  he  is  ! '  said  Kate,  as  there  was  a  ring 
at  the  door  bell. 

Emmeline  started  up,  looked  nervously  about,  and 
her  colour  went  and  came. 

'  Indeed,  my  dearest,  you  must  not  go  down,'  said 
Lady  Willoughby ;  '  pray,  my  dear,  you  had  much  better 
not.' 

Emmeline  knew  it  would  not  do  her  any  harm,  but 
the  disinclination,  which  she  had  been  nursing,  was  quite 
strong  enough  to  make  her  ready  to  seize  any  excuse. 

'  See,  she  is  quite  in  a  flutter,  poor  child,'  said  Lady 
Willoughby.  '  Come,  lie  down  on  the  sofa,  and  think  no 
more  about  it,  my  dear ;  it  is  very  bad  for  you.' 

'  Mr.  Brent  in  the  drawing-room,'  said  a  servant. 

'  Tell  him  we  are  very  much  obliged  to  him,  but  Miss 
Berners  is  not  well  enough  this  morning,'  said  Lady 
Willoughby,  looking  doubtfully  at  Emmeline. 

'  0,  stop,  mamma,'  said  Kate,  '  I  had  better  go  down.' 

'  You,  Kate,'  said  Emmeline,  '  and  alone  ?  No,  if  you 
do,  I  must.' 

'  It  would  be  so  odd,  my  dear,'  said  her  mother. 

'  No,  I  had  rather  speak  to  him  at  all  events  for  a 
moment,'  said  Kate,  her  colour  coming  into  her  face  as  if 
it  was  a  great  effort.     '  I  will  come  presently.' 

'  Well,  then,  I  suppose  I  must  come,'  said  Emmeline, 
piteously. 

'  I  do  not  see  any  occasion  for  that,'  said  Kate,  mus- 
tering resolution  as  she  had  done  about  the  waves ;  '  you 
had  better  stay  quiet,  dear  Emmie.' 

'  Yes,  that  she  should,  my  dear,'  said  Lady  Wil- 
loughby ;    '  see  how  much  overcome  she  is ;    and  it  will 


200  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

do  just  as  well  another  time,  and  not  be  at  all  uncivil  tc 
Mr.  Brent.  I  will  write  a  note  and  send  to  him  down 
Btairs.' 

'  That  it  will,  Kate,'  said  Emmcline  ;  *  what  is  the  use 
of  your  going — it  will  be  only  very  disagreeable.' 

'  I  think  I  had  better,'  said  Kate.  '  It  can't  hurt  tne; 
and  I  should  like  to  feel  I  had  done  something.' 

'  Very  well,  my  dear,'  said  Lady  Willoughby,  'perhaps 
it  will  be  more  civil  if  you  do  make  our  excuses  to  him, 
but  you  need  not  stay  long.' 

It  was  nearly  an  hour  before  Kate  came  back,  and 
she  returned  with  a  bright  though  serious  face. 

'  "Well,  Kate  !  what  an  enormous  time  he  has  kept 
you  !     How  did  you  get  on  ?  ' 

'  0,  pretty  well,'  said  Kate,  cheerfully  ;  '  he  read  with 
me  a  little,  and  talked,  and  it  was  much  better  than  might 
have  been  expected.  I  do  not  think  I  shall  be  in  the 
least  shy  next  time,  when  you  are  there.  He  was  very 
kind,  and  he. is  to  come  again  this  day  week.' 

'  Then  you  got  on  pretty  well,'  said  Emmeline,  as  if 
the  last  part  of  the  information  was  not  the  pleasantest. 

'  Yes,  very  well,'  said  Kate.  '  I  assure  you  we  need 
not  uiind  it  a  bit  next  time.  I  am  very  glad  it  is  over, 
for  it  takes  away  all  fears  for  the  next  meeting.' 

'  And  was  he  very  dry  and  cold  ?  '  asked  Emmeline. 

*  No — no,  I  do  not  think  so  ;  he  said  many  things  I 
liked,  and  seemed  full  of  considerateness.  And  I  will 
tell  you  what  he  said,  Emmie,'  said  Kate,  leaning  over 
her,  and  speaking  in  a  low  voice  :  '  he  said  we  felt  strongly 
now,  and  no  wonder,  and  all  this  trial  had  stirred  us  up^ 
but  we  must  take  care  that  the  impression  does  not  go 
away. ' 

'  That  it  never  can,'  said  Emmeline.  '  So  he  calls  all 
this  mere  feeling.     That  is  just  like  Mr.  Brent.' 

'  But,  Emmie,  I  thought  he  was  right.  Uncle  Wil 
loughby  said  something  very  like  it.  Mr.  Brent  said 
new  scenes,  new  people,  or  employments,  might  put  these 
things  out  of  our  heads ;  but  that  we  must  try  to  have 
root  in  ourselves,  stability  of  character,  and  that  that 
was  one  great  help  in  Church  rites.     Besides  the  grace, 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  201 

which  is  the  great  thing,  the  associations  will  alwaj's  be 
revived.' 

On  that  evening,  when  the  post  came  in,  there  was  a 
letter  for  Emmeline. 

*  A  letter  for  me  ? '  said  Emmeline,  anxiously. 

'  Yes,  my  dear  ! '  said  Sir  Francis,  '  a  foreign  letter  ; 
but  not  your  sister's  writing.' 

A  dead  pause. 

'  It  is  a  red  seal ! '  said  Kate,  in  a  would-be  hopeful 
voice,  though  she  gasped  for  breath. 

'  Let  us  hear,  let  us  know  the  worst ! '  said  Sir  Fran- 
cis, getting  up  and  walking  about  the  room. 

'  Yes — Ah  !  my  poor  Constance  ! '  said  Lady  Wil- 
loughby — '  My  smelling-bottle,  Kate,  dear.' 

'  Open  it,  Kate  ;  I  can't,'  said  Emmeline,  faintly. 

Kate,  with  trembling  hands,  broke  the  seal,  and 
scanned  the  besrinnino;  of  the  letter. 

'  Speak,  speak  ! '  sighed  Emmeline. 

'  No  better,'  began  Kate — '  a  dreadful  night — but — ' 
she  turned  the  page,  and  again  became  silent,  looking 
fixedly  at  the  letter. 

'  Don't,  don't,'  said  Emmeline,  grasping  at  the  letter. 

'  I  could  not,  because  I  was  choked,'  said  Kate.  '  0, 
Emmie,  he  is  better — they  have  hope,'  and  she  hid  her 
face  on  her  sister's  shoulder  and  cried. 

'  Hope  !  hope,  did  you  say.  Let  me  hear !  0,  I 
can't  read,'  said  Emmeline. 

Kate  managed  to  clear  her  voice  again.  '  It  is  this 
little  bit,'  said  she,  '  at  the  end.  Constance  breaks  off 
suddenly,  and  the  rest  is  from  Lord  Somerville : — 

"Constance  cannot  leave  Herbex't,  and  I  must  finish  and  send 
off  her  letter,  with  better  tidings  than  I  ever  thought  to  have  to 
send  again.  It  seems  that  the  late  terrible  suffering  has  been 
caused  by  abscess  in  the  lungs,  and  we  hope  the  worst  may  now 
be  over.  For  the  present,  at  least,  he  is  much  relieved,  and  they 
give  us  leave  to  hope,  though  he  is  so  much  exhausted,  tliat  there 
is  still  great  present  danger ;  and  of  course  it  is  impossible  as  yet 
to  judge  how  it  may  be,  or  how  far  the  original  mischief  is  re- 
moved. For  the  time,  however,  the  relief  is  infinite.  Constance 
is  very  well ;  it  is  wonderful  to  see  how  she  has  borne  up  through 
the  last  few  weeks." 

9* 


202 


TIIK    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 


'  There,'  said  Kate,  with  a  deep  sigh. 

*  Dear  Constance,'  said  Lady  Willoughby,  ^  I  only 
hope  this  may  be  a  permanent  improvement.' 

'  I  wish  it  may  be  so,'  said  Sir  Francis ;  '  but  don't 
raise  your  hopes  too  much.  It  is  a  deceitful  complaint. 
He  spoke  in  the  fretful  manner  that  had,  since  the  loss  of 
his  son,  become  almost  customary  with  him. 

'  And  Lord  Somervillc  writes  himself,'  said  Lady 
Willoughby ;  '  how  extremely  kind  !  How  does  he  sign 
himself  ? ' 

'  He  has  not  much  room  to  sign  himself  at  all,  mamma,' 
said  Kate ;  '  it  is  squeezed  up  in  the  corner,  '•  Yrs.  sin- 
cerely, S."  ' 

'  And  had  they  received  my  letter  ? '  said  Lady  "Wil- 
loughby. 

*  No,'  said  Kate,  looking  over  Constance's  part  of  the 
letter,  '  they  could  not  have  done  so.' 

'  But  here  is  a  bit  in  the  envelope,'  said  Emmelinc  : — 

'  "  A  letter  is  just  come  for  Constance,  wliieli  I  have  not  yet 
given  her,  from  your  mother,  I  think,  and  with  a  black  seal.  I 
hope  nothing  amiss.  I  mention  it  lest  you  should  think  it  had 
gone  astray." ' 

In  two  days'  time  came  another  letter,  from  Lady 
Herbert  to  her  mother,  and  very  short.  No  one  could 
imagine,  said  she,  the  comfort  of  seeing  him  able  to  lie 
Hat,  and  breathe  freely.  She  wrote  in  much  anxiety  on 
Emmeline's  account,  and  expressed  strong  sympathy  with 
their  grief  for  Frank,  whom  she  said  she  knew  well  enough 
to  see  what  a  loss  he  must  be,  and  what  comfort  there 
still  was  in  his  death.  She  had  not  ventured  as  yet  to 
tell  Herbert  of  the  adventure,  as  he  was  to  be  carefully 
guarded  from  all  excitement. 

After  this,  Emmeline  and  Kate  laid  aside  their  fears, 
and  talked  themselves  to  sleep,  with  delightful  anticipa- 
tions of  a  home  in  the  parsonage  at  Copseley,  a  peaceful 
life,  '  alms  all  around,  and  hymns  within,'  the  moonlight 
walks  to  evening  service,  and  the  morning  teaching  in  the 
pretty  school,  under  the  superintendence  of  Herbert's 
bright  lively  eye,  and  Constance's  active  sisterly  affection. 


THE    CASTLE   BUILDERS.  203 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Those  golden  palaces,  those  gorgeous  halls 

With  furniture  superfluously  fair; 
Those  stately  courts,  those  sky-encountering  walls, 

Evanish  all  like  vapours  in  the  air. 

Teagedy  of  Dakixts. 

When  Kate  came  down  to  breakfast  the  next  morning, 
and  Edwin,  acting  charioteer  at  the  top  of  a  pile  of  chairs 
— '  Kate,  Kate,'  shouted  he,  '  I  am  going  to  London ;  we 
are  all  going  to  London.' 

'  What,  in  your  coach,  Edwin  2 '  said  she,  after  paying 
her  morning  greetings,  obediently  offering  to  sit  down 
wherever  Edwin  might  choose  to  dispose  of  his  passengers. 

'  No,  in  the  train,  in  the  real  train,'  said  Edwin,  '  and 
aext  week.' 

'  Yes,  Kate,'  said  Sir  Francis,  laughing  and  looking  as 
good-natured  as  he  used  to  do  ;  '  what  do  you  think  of  our 
plan?' 

'  To  go  to  London,'  repeated  Kate,  '  to  stay  there  ? ' 

'  Yes,  to  go  to  London  for  the  season,'  said  her 
mother ;  '  it  is  time  for  you  both  to  be  introduced,  and  we 
shall  soon  have  dear  Emmie  better,  when  her  spirits  arc 
raised  by  the  change.' 

'  Nothing  like  society,  nothing  like  society,'  repeated 
Sir  Francis. 

*  And  the  hippopotamus,'  roared  Edwin.  I  shall  see 
'the  hippopotamus.' 

'  But  do  you  really  mean  next  week  ?  '  said  Kate. 

'  Yes,'  said  Sir  Francis,  rubbing  his  hands  together, 


204  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

'  Thursday  tlic  20th.  Rather  short  notice  perhaps  but  1 
hate  take-leave  visits ;  two  or  three  days  will  be  enough 
to  leave  our  p.  p.  c.  cards  and  pack  up.' 

Edwin  roared  them  all  down  again  with  an  announce- 
ment that  he  should  take  all  his  shells,  and  pack  them  up 
in  the  great  box.  Lady  Willoughby  put  up  her  hand  as 
if  deafened,  but  Edwin  was  privileged,  and  there  was  not 
soon  another  lull  At  last  Lady  Willoughby  turned 
towards  Kate,  and  said,  '  Why,  my  dear,  you  seem  as  if 
you  would  never  recover  from  your  surprise.  Shall  you 
not  like  it? ' 

'  Trust  her  for  that,'  said  Sir  Francis,  laughing.  '  I 
suppose  I  ought  not  to  say  what  a  sensation  two  such 
young  ladies  will  make.' 

'  I  was  thinking  of  the  Confirmation,'  said  Kate. 

'  0,  my  dear,'  said  Lady  Willoughby,  '■  you  will  soon 
have  another  opportunity.  People  will  never  know 
whether  you  are  Confirmed  or  not.  It  will  not  make  any 
difference  whether  it  is  now  or  a  little  while  hence.' 

'  We  should  be  very  sorry  to  miss  it,'  said  Kate ;  '  it 
is  only  three  weeks  hence.' 

Kate  had  never  made  a  shadow  of  objection  to  other 
people's  plans  before,  and  both  Sir  Francis  and  Lady 
Willoughby  I'doked  surprised. 

*'*iMy  dear,  it  is  a  pity,  but  it  cannot  be  helped,'  said 
her  mother. 

'  No,  mamma,  of  course  I  don't  wish  to  interfere.'  but 
she  could  not  keep  back  a  tear  of  disappointment. 

'  In  three  weeks  will  it  be  ? '  said  Sir  Francis,  touched 
by  his  favourite  Kate's  quiet  resignation,  and  perhaps  so 
far  improved  by  his  affliction  and  his  broihcr's  influence, 
as  not  to  choose  again  to  oppose  what  was  felt  as  a  reli- 
gious obligation. 

'  Yes,'  said  Kate,  '  the  day  is  the  30th  of  April.' 

'  Well,  I  don't  know,  if  you  are  so  anxious  about  it,  if 
it  might  not  do  better  in  this  way :  If  I  was  to  go  on  to 
town  and  look  at  a  house,  and  have  all  ready  for  you,  and 
then  come  back  to  fetch  you  ?     Eh  ?  ' 

Lady  Willoughby  did  not  look.  *  I  am  sure  the  girls 
are  very  much  obliged  to  you,'  said  she ;  '  but  they  would 


THE    CASTLE   BUILDERS.  205 

not  wish  by  any  means  to  interfere  with  your  plans.  And 
really  I  should  not  like  to  put  off  the  journey.  I  do  not 
like  you  to  go  alone,  and  not  take  care  of  yourself  at  an 
hotel,  and  we  to  be  left  alone  to  have  all  the  bustle  of  pay- 
ing bills  and  packing  up.  With  dear  Emmie  so  unequal 
to  everything,  too.  0,  no,  we  cannot  do  without  papa.  I 
am  sure  Emmie  and  Kate  cannot  wish  it.' 

'  I  don't  want  them  to  be  disappointed,'  said  Sir  Fran- 
cis, looking  good-naturedly  at  Kate  ;  '  it  is  the  concern  of 
you  ladies,  and  you  may  settle  it  as  you  will,  only  don't 
let  it  be  said  that  I  stopped  this  Confirmation  business,  in 
the  face  of  their  wishes.'  And  Sir  Francis,  with  a  sigh, 
pushed  his  chair  from  the  table,  called  Edwin  to  come  out 
with  him,  and  left  the  room,  while  his  wife  was  saying,  'I 
am  sure  you  are  very  kind.  We  will  see  what  Emmeline 
says.' 

'  And  now,  Katie,  my  dear,'  said  Lady  Willoughby, 
when  the  door  was  closed, '  let  me  beg  of  you  not  to  make 
a  point  of  sta^^ing  on  here  for  this  Confirmation.' 

'  I  would  not,  indeed  I  would  not,  dear  mamma,'  said 
Kate,  '  if — if  I  did  not  feel  that  it  was  the  only  hope  of 
being  good,  and  one  of  the  very  last  things  that  dear  Frank 
begged  of  us.' 

'  You  speak  as  if  there  was  never  to  be  another,'  said 
her  mother,  with  more  pique  than  Kate  had  ever  heard 
before  in  her  gentle  tones.  '  Are  not  they  always  going 
on  in  London  ?  ' 

*  I  don't  know,'  said  Kate ;  '  but  now  we  are  in  the 
way  of  being  prepared,  I  am  sure  Emmie  would  be  very 
sorry.' 

'Ah !  there  is  the  very  thing,'  said  Lady  Willoughby, 
lowering  her  voice  confidentially ;  '  poor  dear  Emmie,  she 
is  the  principal  reason  I  wish  to  leave  this  place.  She 
will  never  recover  her  spirits,  nor  Sir  Francis  either, 
among  all  these  melancholy  associations  ;  and  you  see, 
Katie,  her  health  depends  so  much  on  her  spirits.' 

'  Yes,'  said  Kate,  thoughtful]}^ 

'  Then  you  see  there  is  that  Mr.  Brent. '  After  what 
has  happened,  you  know,  it  would  be  too  uncivil,  quite 
impossible,  in  fact,  to  object  to  his  seeing  her ;  but  then 


206  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

you  see  liow  nervous  she  is  at  the  very  prospect,  and  the 
interview  itself  would  be  so  bad  for  her.  Mr.  Edwards 
tells  me  that  he  quite  dreads  the  sight  of  Mr.  Brent 
going  into  a  patient's  house.' 

'  0,  mamma,'  said  Kate,  '  I  thought  we  had  resolved 
never  to  believe  any  more  of  the  stories  against  Mr. 
Brent.' 

'  Kate,  ray  love,  I  really  cannot  think  what  makes  you 
so  extraordinary  pertinacious  this  morning,'  said  her 
mother,  '  when  there  are  so  many  reasons  for  making  ug 
desirous  to  leave  this  place,  when,  after  all  that  has  oc- 
curred, we  can  never  expect  poor  Sir  Francis  to  recover 
his  loss  here.  And  you  are  looking  pale  too — change  is 
quite  necessary  to  us  all.' 

'  Indeed,  mamma,'  said  Kate,  distressed,  '  I  should  be 
very  sorry  to  interfere,  and  if  I  was  quite  sure  about  what 
is  right — ' 

'  Right,  why  that  must  be  what  is  best  for  all,'  said 
Lady  Willoughby ;  '  and  you  must  perceive  yourself,  my 
dear,  how  much  better  it  would  be  for  Emmeline  and  for 
all  of  us.  I  am  sure  I  thought  we  were  giving  you 
pleasure.' 

'  Mamma,  oh  !  yes,  dear  mamma,  we  are  very  much 
obliged  to  you ;  don't  think  us  ungrateful,  but  the  thing 
is,  we  are  so  afraid  to  stay  unconfirmed  any  longer.' 

'  Afraid,  my  dear  1 ' 

*  Yes,  mamma,  if  we  should  miss  it  again — and  die.' 

'  What  are  you  thinking  of,  my  dear  %  Indeed,  it  is 
true,  as  I  always  said,  that  nothing  can  be  worse  for  your 
spirits,  all  of  you,  than  remaining  here.  It  makes  us  all 
so  melancholy,  that  I  really  cannot  tell  what  will  be  the 
effect  of  it,  and  now  that  the  present  anxiety  about  poor 
Lord  Herbert  is  over,  I  am  so  desirous  to  bring  out  you 
and  Emmeline,  so  as  to  cheer  you  up  again,  my  dears.' 

'  Thank  you,  mamma,'  said  Kate,  rather  ruefully. 

Instead  of  going  up  to  Emmeline  Kate  walked  out 
into  the  garden.  She  had  grown  more  scrupulous  about 
overruling  h^r  mother,  who,  as  she  perceived,  was  quite  in 
the  power  of  Emmeline  and  herself.  She  could  not  bear 
the  thought  of  arraying  themselves  and  their  influence  in 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  207 

opposition  to  her.  She  did  not  know  how  far  the  remain- 
ing at  Herringsby  might  be  prejudicial  to  Emmeline's 
health ;  and  it  certainly  would  be  much  more  agreeable 
not  to  '  make  a  fuss/  as  well  as  to  miss  any  more  stiff  con- 
ferences with  Mr.  Brent.  On  the  other  hand,  it  could 
not  be  right  to  delay  the  Confirmation — it  was  a  safeguard 
tor  which  she  longed  in  the  midst  of  the  scenes  which 
awaited  her — it  would  be  too  dreadful  to  neglect  that  en- 
treaty of  Frank's  ;  and  how  vexed  Uncle  Willoughby 
would  be.  Moreover,  a  little  persuasion  would,  as  Kate 
had  little  doubt,  bring  round  her  mamma  to  think  they 
had  much  better  not  be  in  such  haste.  She  would  let 
Emmeline  judge. 

Therewith  Kate  ran  up  stairs. 

'  Emmie !  only  think,  they  are  talking  of  going  to 
London,  all  of  us,  and  we  are  to  come  out.  They  had 
proposed  next  Thursday,  but — ' 

'  Then  we  shall  not  have  any  more  of  Mr.  Brent,'  said 
Emmeline. 

'  Yes,  that  is  the  things''  said  Kate.  '  But  Sir  Francis 
has  been  so  kind  as  to  say  they  will  wait  for  the  Confir- 
mation if  we  wish  it.'  Kate  looked  at  her  sister's  face, 
and  saw  that  Emmeline  did  not  know  whether  she  wished 
it  or  not.  '  The  worst  of  it  is,'  said  Kate,  '  that  mamma 
has  set  her  heart  upon  going  as  soon  as  possible,  just  as 
if  it  was  for  the  sake  of  escaping  from  the  place,  and  she 
fancies  all  this  preparation  for  the  Confirmation  is  hurting 
you.' 

'  Well,  then,  Kate,  we  had  better  go  if  she  is  so  anx- 
ious about  it,'  said  Emmeline. 

*  Another  thing,  I  was  thinking,'  said  Kate.  '  Don't 
you  think  it  might  be  possible  for  us  to  stay  behind,  as  it 
is  only  for  a  fortnight?  Miss  Townserid  might  remain - 
with  us  here  and  follow  them,  or  perhajjis  we  might  stay 
with  the  Miss  Shaws.' 

Emmeline  burst  out  laughing.  '  The  Miss  Shaws  and 
Mr.  Brent !  No,  no,  Kate.  And  mamma  would  never 
consent  to  the  other  plan.  No,  we  must  give  it  up,  and 
it  is  not  our  fault,  you  know.' 

'  I  am  afraid  of  its  being  our  fault,'  said  Kate,  '  since 
Sir  Francis  put  it  into  our  power.' 


208  THE    CASTLE    BUtLDEHS. 

'  No,  Kate,  recollect  we  owe  more  duty  to  mamma 
than  to  him.' 

'  Yes,'  said  Kate,  sorrowfully,  '  but  isn't  this  our  duty 
to  God  ? ' 

'  But,  Kate,  there  will  be  another  Confirmation,'  said 
Emmcline,  impatiently. 

'  Not  to  neglect  it  again,  was  what  dear  Frank  said,' 
replied  Kate. 

*  Yes,  but  we  are  not  neglecting  it,  we  cannot  help  it ; 
and  I  am  sure  dear  Frank  would  not  have  had  us  set  our- 
selves up,  and  make  everything  give  way  to  us,  and  make 
mamma  perfectly  miserable.' 

'  No,  I  suppose  it  would  not  do,'  said  Kate,  with  a 
deep  sigh ;  '  but  shall  not  you  be  sorry  to  come  away  ?  ' 

'  Sorry,  to  be  sure  I  shall !  There  is  much  here  that 
we  can  never  forget.  0  yes,  we  shall  love  the  place  for 
ever ;  but  it  is  quite  impossible  to  persuade  them  to  stay 
here  now  that  they  have  got  into  this  restless  state,  so  we 
must  submit.' 

Emmeliue  did  not  ask  herself  how  much  of  her  sub- 
mission was  occasioned  by  her  wish  to  avoid  Mr.  Brent ; 
and  Kate,  deserted  by  her  ally,  became  almost  ashamed  of 
her  strenuous  opposition.  So  no  more  was  said  against  an 
immediate  departure,  and  the  day  was  fixed  for  Thursday. 

In  the  meantime  there  was  a  great  deal  to  be  done, 
and  it  chiefly  fell  upoji  Kate,  as  Emmeline  was  not  equal 
to  exertion.  It  was  wonderful  to  find  how  many  things 
had  accumulated  in  ten  months,  and  how  many  recollec- 
tions had  bound  themselves  round  the  walls  and  in  every 
corner. 

'  Look  here,'  said  Kate,  as  she  knelt  before  a  chifi'o- 
niere  and  explored  its  dark  recesses,  from  which  she  drew 
forth  a  bundle  of  half-made  poor  children's  clothes. 

'  How  long  is  it  since  we  have  touched  them  ! '  said 
Emmeline.  '  Dear  me,  Kate,  what  a  strange  world  of 
recollections  they  do  bring  up  !  It  seems  as  if  our  war 
with  Mr,  Denham  and  the  poor  Miss  Shaws  was  a  hundred 
years  ago  ! ' 

'  It  does  indeed,'  said  Kate,  thoughtfully. 

*  As  if  we  were  not  the  same  people,'  said  Emmeline 

\ 


THE    CASTLE   BUILDERS.  209 

*  As  we  are  not,  Kate ;  for  the  mind,  the  soul  I  mean,  has 
a  more  real  and  true  genuine  existence  than  the  body.  It 
is  that  which  is  the  self,  and  I  am  sure  that  is  changed 
in  us.' 

'  We  ought  to  be  daily  renewed,  as  the  blessing  says,' 
was  Kate's  answer,  in  rather  a  mournful  tone. 

Emmeline  was  always  uneasy  under  any  mention  of 
the  Confirmation,  and  she  came  hastily  to  examine  the 
bundle.  '  I  should  like  to  finish  them,'  said  she,  '  if  it  is 
possible.     I  am  ashamed  to  send  them  home  unfinished.' 

'  It  would  not  be  impossible  if  we  worked  hard,'  said 
Kate ;  '  and  perhaps  we  could  get  Miss  Townsend  and 
Janet  to  help  us.' 

Emmeline  fetched  her  work-box,  and  began  to  look  for 
the  part  where  she  should  go  on.  There  was  the  rusty 
needle  coiled  up  in  the  thread,  and  stuck  in  the  hem ;  how 
well  she  remembered  her  laying  it  down  when  Frank's 
merry  voice  summoned  her  to  come  and  help  to  paper  the 
tower,  and  then  how  occupation,  amusement,  and  whim, 
had  rapidly  succeeded  each  other,  and  what  had  at  first 
been  neglect  had  become  repugnance,  and  the  misunder- 
standing with  the  Miss  Shaws  had  arisen,  and  so  the  en- 
gagement had  been  unfulfilled. 

'  Well,'  said  she,  suddenly,  '  I  am  glad  we  are  going 
away.  It  is  impossible  to  be  really  a  Christian  without 
doing  something  for  the  poor,  and  that  is  impossible  here. 
I  see  we  were  wrong  in  going  into  Mr.  Hunter's  parish, 
but  Mr.  Brent  will  let  us  do  nothing.' 

'  Perhaps  he  would  do  so  when  he  knew  our  Church 
principles,  and  saw  us  Communicants,'  said  Kate,  sighing. 
'  But  it  is  of  no  use  to  talk  about  that,  only  there  were 
those  children  of  the  poor  sick  man.' 

'  To  be  sure  there  were,'  cried  Emmeline.  '  How 
could  we  forget  them  ?  Oh !  Kate,  you  must  find  out 
about  them,  and  let  them  have  all  the  money  we  can  pos- 
sibly give.' 

'  I  will.  We  will  ask  Mr.  Brent  about  them,'  said 
Kate.  '  But  what  shall  we  do  for  the  poor  in  Lon- 
don ?  ' 

'  I  don't  know,'   said   Emmeline ;  '  but  we  shall  not 


210  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

stay  ill  London  always.  There  will  be  Copselcy  again^ 
Kate,  perhaps  before  the  summer  is  over,  and  we  shall  go 
about  agaiu  in  the  little  paths  of  chequered  shade,  under 
the  oak  trees,  and  talk  to  Herbert  and  Constance,  as  in 
the  dear  olden  time.' 

'  Beautiful  Copseley,'  said  Kate.  '  And  we  shall  see 
the  quiet  little  lawn,  with  its  fuchsias  and  geraniums,  and 
sit  at  the  open  window  and  read  to  Constance.' 

'  But  there  is  a  hot,  restless  world  to  come  first,'  said 
Emmeline.  '  Fineries,  and  gaieties,  and  balls,  and  hot 
rooms,  and  mamma  talking  of  her  daughter,  Lady  Her- 
bert, and  this  world  will  be  everything — ' 

'  And  oh,  what  shall  we  do  that  it  may  not  be  so  to 
us  ?  '  said  Kate. 

'  Pray,  and  fix  our  faith  steadfastly/  said  Emmeline, 
glancing  up.  '  These  things  are  all  pomps,  and  vanities, 
and  emptiness.  We  may  be  among  them,  but  not  of 
them  ;  they  cannot  taint  the  charm  within  us.' 

'  I  should  so  hope  more,  if — ' 

'  I  know  wha,t  you  would  say,  Kate ;  but  it  is  not  our 
fault  this  time  at  least.' 

It  was  not  Kate's,  for  she  had  done  all  she  could. 

Emmeline  and  Kate  worked  hard,  and  obtained  the 
aid  of  Miss  Townsend  and  Janet,  the  latter  of  whom  was 
made  very  happy  by  being  asked  to  do  anything  as  a 
favour  to  her  sisters.  She  worked  till  her  little  forefinger 
was  quite  sore  with  hemming,  and  her  pale  face  flushed 
with  joy  when  she  was  kissed,  and  told  that  she  had  done 
wonders. 

Kate  went  to  take  leave  of  the  two  old  ladies.  They 
were  very  kind,  and  would  scarcely  let  her  make  any  apol- 
ogies. They  said  they  knew  how  it  was,  and  as  they 
nodded  to  each  other  as  usual,  Kate  perceived  that  many 
a  young  lady  had  taken  up  a  fit  of  school-keeping  and  laid 
it  down  again. 

'  Good-bye,  my  dear,'  said  Miss  Penelope,  as  Kate  rose 
to  go.  '  I  am  sure  we  shall  never  forget  all  your  kind- 
ness.' 

'  Kindness  !  I  wish  it  had  been  so,'  said  Kate. 

And  bearing  the  old  ladies'  love  to  the  whole  family, 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  211 

collectively  and  individually,  she  left  the  tall  narrow 
house  for  the  last  time,  then  turning,  looked  back  and 
sighed  ;  wondered  whether  she  should  ever  be  equal  to 
those  two  old  ladies  in  earnest  piety  and  self-devotion, 
and  yet  wondered  what  was  amiss  in  them. 

The  next  farewell  was  to  Mr.  Brent.  Lady  Wil- 
loughby  had  sent  one  of  her  politest  notes,  with  all  manner 
of  thanks,  and  saying  what,  if  the  girls  had  seen  it, 
they  would  scarcely  have  allowed  her  to  send,  that  her 
daughter  Emmeline  regretted  exceedingly  that  she  was 
not  allowed  to  thank  him  in  person,  but  that  her  feelings 
were  so  acute,  and  her  whole  nervous  system  had  received 
such  a  shock,  that  it  was  not  thought  advisable  to  expose 
her  to  any  agitation. 

Kate  was  vexed  when  she  heard  that  Mr.  Brent  had 
been  desired  not  to  come  again.  She  thought  it  was  using 
him  ill ;  and  she  had,  besides,  one  or  two  things  to  say. 
She  was  glad  that  he  was  of  that  sort  of  age  that  she 
need  not  be  afraid  of  putting  herself  in  the  way  of  speak- 
ing— not  indeed  quite  as  old  as  Lord  Liddesdale,  but 
much  older  than  Lord  Somerville.  So  on  her  last  morn- 
ing she  waited  for  him  to  overtake  her  when  she  came 
out  of  the  Church.  When  he  was  sorry  he  generally 
looked  harsh,  so  that  she  scarcely  knew  how  to  begin. 

'  Are  you  going  to-day  ?  '  said  he. 

'  Yes,  in  a  couple  of  hours,'  said  Kate.  '  My  sister  is 
not  strong  enough  to  take  the  whole  journey  in  one  day.' 

'  I  hope  the  change  will  be  beneficial,'  said  Mr.  Brent, 
in  his  dry  voice. 

'  Thank  you,'  said  Kate.  '  "We  are  very  sorry  to  go, 
I  wish  we  could  have  stayed.' 

'  Yes,  it  is  a  great  pity,  for  I  hardly  know  when  you 
will  have  another  opportunity,  now  that  the  Easter  Con- 
firmations are  over  in  London.' 

'  It  is  our  own  fault,'  said  Kate ;  *  it  was  very  wrong 
to  miss  the  opportunity  when  we  left  school.' 

'  It  was  greatly  to  be  lamented,'  said  Mr.  Brent. 

'  And  I  wanted  to  ask  you,'  said  Kate,  looking  down — 
'  Is  there  any  thing  you  would  advise  me  to  do  now  ?  I 
am  afraid  we  shall  be  obliged  to  go  a  great  deal  into 


212  THE    CASTLE   BUILDERS. 

company,  and  what  shall  I  do  to  keep  from  forgetting 
everything  ? ' 

His  tone  was  kinder,  as  he  said,  '  Remeaiber  always 
that  you  are  in  course  of  preparation  for  a  great  privilege ; 
bring  it  back  to  your  recollection  on  every  occasion  at 
your  prayers,  at  Church,  whenever  you  are  preparing  for 
any  amusement.' 

'  I  will  try,'  said  Kate,  sighing.  *  My  sister  will  help 
me.  And  one  thing  more,  Mr.  Brent ;  here  is  a  little 
money,  if  you  could  spend  it  for  those  poor  children  that 
— that  my  brother  was  interested  about.  I  wish  we  had 
thought  about  them  more.' 

'  Thank  you,'  said  Mr.  Brent.  '  It  shall  certainly  be 
done.  We  are  hoping  to  get  the  eldest  girl  into  a  place, 
and  this  will  be  a  timely  help.' 

'  I  wish — '  said  Kate,  but  there  she  stopped,  and  as 
they  had  now  come  to  the  spot  where  their  roads  parted, 
she  only  held  out  her  hand,  and  bade  Mr.  Brent  good-bye. 
He  replied  with  a  warm  shake  of  the  hand,  and  a  look  of 
kind  regret. 

Kate  lingered,  and  when  she  thought  no  one  was 
looking,  she  turned,  and  stole  back  to  the  churchyard, 
and  across  the  green  turf,  till,  for  the  first  time,  she  stood 
by  the  side  of  the  new  cold-looking  white  stone,  with  its 
strongly  cut  black  letters.  There  was  more  upon  it  than 
Kate's  taste  approved.  Besides  the  '  Francis  George 
Willoughby,'  which  was  all  that  was  left  of  Frank  upon 
earth,  there  was  '  eldest  son  of  Sir  Francis  Willoughby, 
Major  General  in  the  Honble.  East  India  Company's  ser- 
vice, and  Mary  his  wife.  Born  at  Calcutta,  April  12th, 
1832.  Drowned,  March  25th,  1850.  This  stone  was 
erected  by  his  afflicted  father.' 

'  And  this  was  all  that  Sir  Francis  could  give  him,' 
said  Kate  to  herself  '  Dear  Frank,  do  you  know  that  I 
am  come  to  wish  you  good-bye  for  myself  and  for  Emmie, 
your  own  sisters.  0,  Frank,  we  shall  never  forget  you — 
never.  Indeed,  we  will  try  to  keep  what  I  promised  yoa, 
and  I  hope  that  you  are  praying  in  Heaven  that  we  may. 
I  wish  I  could  tell  you  that  we  are  happy  about  Herbert 
again,  and  that  uncle  Willoughby  is  very  kind  to  us. 
Good-bye,  dear  Frank ! ' 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  213 

Kate  gathered  a  daisy  that  grew  on  the  new  turf,  and 
holding  it  fast  and  tenderly,  turned  away,  drying  her 
tears.  As  she  came  to  the  gate,  she  started  at  seeing 
another  figure  lingering  in  the  churchyard,  as  if  to  wait 
till  she  was  gone.  In  spite  of  his  desire  to  shun  observa- 
tion, she  saw  that  it  was  Sir  Francis,  but  she  did  not 
venture  to  go  near  him,  and  hastened  back  to  the 
house. 


214  IHE    CASTLE   BUILDERS. 


CHAPTER   XVII. 

■With  me  the  Mnse  shall  sit  and  think 
Hdw  vain  the  ardour  of  the  crowd, 
How  low,  how  little  arc  the  proud, 
How  indigent  the  great. 

Geay. 

Before  the  end  of  another  fortnight  they  were  settled  in 
a  house  in  Belgravia.  Kate  had  found  a  Church  with 
Daily  Service,  near  enough  for  her  to  go  every  morning 
before  breakfast,  and  Emmeline  hoped  to  accompany  her 
as  soon  as  her  strength  was  fully  restored. 

Moreover,  the-accounts  of  Lord  Herbert  continued  to 
improve  so  fast,  that  the  hopes  of  his  return  were  no 
longer  a  day  dream,  and  at  last  came  a  note  from 
himself,  written  on  the  first  impulse  of  having  been  told 
of  the  adventure  at  Herringsby. 

*My  dear  Sisters, 

'  Constance  has  only  just  told  me  of  j^our  danger, 
Emmeline's  illness,  and  the  loss  which  you  must  feel  so  deeply. 
It  will  not  be  long,  I  hope,  before  I  see  you  again;  and  Con- 
stance will  scarcely  allow  me  pen  and  ink,  so  that  I  must  not  say 
half  tliat  is  in  my  mind,  only  how  thankful  I  am  that  we  are  to 
meet  here  once  more,  and  how  great  is  the  resj^onsibility  of  being 
spared,  as  we  have  been.  It  is  us  if  more  were  required. 
'  Your  afifectionate  Brother,  II.  S.' 

It  was  the  first  time  that  he  had  attempted  to  write, 
and  they  thought  it  a  great  honour,  but  it  made  them 
more  melancholy  than  rejoiced.  'A  pretty  way  for  people 
to  live,  who  have  been  brought  back  from  the  gates  of  the 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  215 

grave,'  said  Emmelino,  pointing  to  the  cards  of  invitation 
wbicli  lay  on  the  table.  '  How  I  hate  it !  What  are  you 
reading,  Kate  ?     Is  that  from  uncle  Willoughby  ?  ' 

^Yes,'  said  Kate,  '  hear  what  he  says  in  answer  to  all 
our  dislikes  and  fears  of  gaiety  :  "  I  shall  like  to  hear  all 
about  your  gay  parties  in  London  :  perhaps  you  will  hardly 
believe  how  I  enjoyed  the  ball,  forty  years  ago,  when  my 
dear  sister  Janet  was  the  beauty  of  the  evening,  and  the 
only  young  lady  who  had  learnt  to  dance  a  French  Cotillon, 
as  we  called  them  then,  so  she  had  to  teach  them  all.  It 
is  just  as  well  to  be  afraid  of  all  this  ;  but  remember 
what  Frank  said  about  things  not  being  his  own  will; 
don't  think  about  yourself,  and  don't  look  out  for  admira- 
tion, and  you  will  do  very  well."  ' 

The  first  time  that  Emmeline  and  Kate  were  really 
to  be  admitted  into  this  formidable  world  of  society,  was 
about  a  week  after,  when  they  were  to  dine  at  a  grand 
party  given  by  some  of  the  great  East  Indian  people,  to  a 
distinguished  officer  just  returned  home.  There  was  great 
preparation ;  Emmeline  and  Kate  were  to  be  as  hand- 
somely dressed  as  their  mourning  would  permit,  and  they 
looked  remarkably  nice  and  lady-like,  nay  even  elegant, 
in  their  black  gauzy  dresses,  which  set  off  their  very  white, 
well-turned  necks  and  arms,  and  with  their  soft  pretty 
light  brown  hair,  trained  into  some  fanciful  braids,  exactly 
alike.  Kate,  with  her  pink  colour,  which  had  grown 
brighter  under  the  influence  of  the  Herringsby  sea  breezes, 
and  her  deep  blue  eyes,  was  positively  pretty ;  and 
Emmeline,  though  still  pale  and  thin,  was,  from  her 
delicate  fairness,  not  much  less  so.  Their  mother  was 
very  proud  of  them,  and  so  was  Sir  Francis ;  but 
Emmeline,  with  a  mournful  expression  in  her  downcast 
eyes,  leant  back  in  the  carriage,  wishing  that  she  was  far 
away. 

They  were  at  the  door — they  were  throwing  off  their 
shawls — they  were  walking  upstairs  secretly  holding  each 
other's  hands,  behind  their  mother.  A  door  was  thrown 
open ;  a  blaze  of  lights,  a  buzz  of  talking,  '  Sir  Francis 
and  Lady  Willoughby,  and  the  Misses  Berners'  proclaimed 
before  them,  and  then  the  two  sisters  were  anchored  on 


216  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

the  end  of  a  sofa,  not  very  far  from  their  mother,  and  able 
to  look  up  and  around  them. 

They  were  not  much  edified  ;  perhaps  they  were  pre- 
pared to  disdain  most  of  tlic  people  they  saw,  however, 
people  were  not  to  be  expected  to  be  cut  out  after  the 
Kowthorpc  fashion.  Where  was  the  great  man  ?  Em- 
meline  had  been  rather  inclined  to  dread  the  sight  of  great 
generals  after  her  disappointment  with  Sir  Francis,  but 
he  suited  her  ideas  a  good  deal  better  than  she  expected. 
And  she  thought  better  of  Sir  Francis  when  she  saw  him 
shaking  hands  cordially  with  him  like  an  old  friend ;  she 
was  more  willing  to  belong  to  him  than  before.  But, 
behold,  who  was  that  who  was  being  introduced  to  the 
hero  7  Lord  Liddesdale  himself,  with  his  red  ribbon. 
She  had  not  known  him  to  be  in  London,  and  how  very 
grand  he  did  look ;  how  superior  to  every  one  else ! 
Shaking  hands  with  Sir  Francis,  too  !  Now  Emmeline 
had  a  property  in  somebody  of  whom  she  might  be  proud. 

Emmeline's  neighbour  at  dinner  seemed  to  enjoy  the 
turbot  particularly,  and  not  be  able  to  talk  of  anything 
else ;  Kate's,  when  he  had  asked  her  if  she  liked  riding, 
had  nothing  more  to  say ;  the  dinner  was  very  long  ;  there 
was  an  immense  quantity  of  talking,  and  none  of  it  could 
be  heard  distinctly  enough  to  be  entertaining,  so  that  they 
were  very  glad  when  the  ladies  rose,  and  they  found 
themselves  in  the  drawing-room,  able  to  sit  together. 
They  knew  scarcely  anybody,  and  looked  forlorn,  while 
Emmeline  moralized  upon  the  emptiness  of  the  scene,  and 
its  complete  want  of  attraction  for  people  whose  minds 
were  fixed  upon  higher  objects. 

The  gentlemen  came  up  without  making  matters  more 
brilliant,  excepting  that  the  girls  had  the  interest  of 
watching  Lord  Liddesdale.  They  saw  him  go  and  ex- 
change a  few  words  with  their  mother,  and  presently  his 
eyes  met  theirs ;  he  smiled,  and  they  saw  him  making  his 
way  towards  them,  lie  was  soon  shaking  hands  with 
them,  and  asking  them  when  they  had  heard  from  Con- 
stance. Lady  Willoughby  was  serenely  rejoiced  when 
she  saw  her  daughters  making  room  for  Lord  Liddesdale 
to  sit  down  between  them,  and  Sir  Francis  heard  it  asked 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  217 

who  the  two  pretty  girls  were  that  Lord  Liddesdale  was 
talking  to.  Quite  unconscious  of  this  reflected  splendour, 
and  only  delighted  by  his  kind  attentions,  Emmeline  and 
Kate  were  comparing  their  latest  intelligence  from  Malta 
with  that  of  their  friend,  who,  tired  of  a  stupid  party,  was 
very  glad  to  find  out  these  two  nice  little  girls,  and  to 
have  some  one  with  whom  to  talk  of  his  sou  Herbert. 

^  They  must  not  be  in  too  great  haste,'  said  he.  '  We 
must  not  look  for  them  till  May  is  over,  at  least.  I  would 
not  have  him  meet  the  cold  wind  of  May  on  any  account, 
but  before  June,  I  should  think  they  might  safely  set  off 
— allow  a  month  for  the  journey;  yes,  they  may  surely  be 
here  before  the  end  of  June.' 

'  By  the  longest  day,'  said  Emmeline,  '  their  wedding- 
day.'  ^ 

'  Yes,  I  suppose  it  will  be  a  hard  matter  to  prevent 
Herbert  from  setting  off  to  Dearport  forthwith.' 

'  To  Dearport  ?  '  said  Emmeline. 

'  Yes,  what,  have  you  not  heard  ?  I  thought  Frances 
or  Constance  would  have  told  you,  that  a  connexion  of 
mine  has  offered  him  the  living  of  Dearport.' 

'  Indeed,  and  will  he  take  it  ? '  said  Kate,  in  conster- 
nation, as  she  thought  of  Copseley. 

'  He  has  accepted  it,'  said  Lord  Liddesdale,  *  on  con 
dition  that  if  his  health  should  fail  again,  it  shall  be  given 
to  his  friend  Mr.  Redlands.' 

'  And  they  will  never  go  back  to  dear  old  Copseley  !  ' 
said  Emmeline. 

'  Ah  !  that  is  giving  up  a  great  deal,  is  it  not  ?  You 
see  Dearport — I  don't  know  whether  you  know  the 
place — ' 

'  0,  no,  not  in  the  least.  Only  that  it  is  on  the  south 
coast.' 

'  Yes,  so  far  is  it  in  his  favour,  it  is  a  good  climate  " 
for  him,  but  it  is  a  miserable  place ;  one  of  the  minor 
ports  from  which  the  trade  has  gone  away,  and  a  great 
watering  place  has  grown  up  round  it,  one  half  mud  and 
misery,  and  the  other  half  finery.  It  has  been  sadly 
neglected,  and  there  is  an  immense  quantity  to  be  done 
for  it.' 

10 


218  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

'  And  docs  Constance  like  such  a  horrid  place  ?  ' 

'  There  is  a  Clergyman's  wife  for  you  !  Herbert  had 
this  offered  to  him,  and  he  had  reason  to  think  that  it 
would  not  be  satisfactorily  disposed  of,  if  he  did  not  take 
it ;  but  he  could  not  bear  to  bring  Constance  to  such  a 
place,  instead  of  their  beloved  Copseley,  so  the  decision 
was  a  good  deal  left  to  her.' 

'  So  she  chose  Dearport !  ' 

'  Yes.  she  said  nothing  could  make  her  so  unhappy  as 
to  think  that  consideration  for  her,  should  hold  him  back 
from  full  usefulness.' 

'  Very  like  Constance,'  said  Emmeline,  '  but  still  I 
cannot  think  how  she  could  bear  to  give  up  Copseley.' 

'  And  will  it  not  be  too  much  for  Herbert  ?  '  said 
Kate. 

'  That  is  the  chief  doubt,'  said  Lord  Liddesdale,  'but 
he  is  fitter  to  be  head  than  voice.  With  such  a  staff  of 
Curates  as  he  must  have  there,  he  will  have  less  occasion 
for  exerting  his  voice  than  if  he  had  to  depend  on  himself 
alone  in  a  smaller  parish.' 

'Certainly,'  said  Emmeline,  'I  do  admire  them  very 
much,  but  I  cannot  help  being  very  sorry.' 

Lord  Liddesdale  smiled,  and  confessed  that  it  was 
something  his  own  case ;  he  was  very  sorry  that  they 
should  leave  their  pretty  home  at  Copseley,  in  his  own 
neighbourhood,  '  but  considering  how  much  they  gave  up, 
w^e  need  not  pity  ourselves,'  said  he.  '  We  may  be  glad 
enough  to  have  them  in  old  England,  on  any  terms.' 

'  Indeed  we  may,'  said  Kate  earnestly. 

Then  came  a  brief  pause,  followed  by  an  inquiry  on 
Lord  Liddesdale's  part,  where  their  house  in  Loudon  was 
He  said  his  daughter  Frances  had  been  staying  with  some 
friends  for  the  last  three  weeks,  but  he  was  going  the  next 
day  to  fetch  her ;  and  he  talked  again  of  the  merry  meet- 
ing that  he  looked  forward  to  with  his  two  sons  and 
Constance,  saying,  he  should  insist  on  Herbert  and  his 
wife  coming  to  llowthorpe  in  the  autumn ;  and  the  two 
girls  should  meet  them  there,  and  he  would  get  Emmeline 
to  read  Shakespeare  to  him.  Then  he  surveyed  her  with 
almost  fatherly  kindness,  said   she   was  looking  unweU, 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  219 

asked  Kate  if  she  was  really  better,  and  told  her  to  take 
care  she  did  not  knock  herself  up  with  gaieties,  for  she 
must  keep  herself  quite  well  to  meet  Constance. 

He  talked  to  them  till  people  were  going  away,  and 
went  down  stairs  with  them,  causing  a  considerable  differ- 
ence in  their  opinion  of  great  parties.  They  were  eager 
to  tell  of  Lord  Herbert's  living,  though  they  knew  with 
how  little  sympathy  it  was  likely  to  be  received ;  and  of 
course,  Sir  Francis  wondered  what  it  was  worth,  while 
Lady  Willoughby  rejoiced  that  her  poor  Constance  would 
now  be  in  the  way  of  meeting  good  society. 

Two  days  after,  rather  earlier  than  the  usual  time  for 
morning  calls,  as  Emmeline  and  Kate  were  reading  in  the 
drawing-room,  they  were  interrupted  by  the  arrival  of 
company,  '  Mr.,  Mrs.,  and  Miss  Allen  ;  '  and  in  came  a 
little  quick-looking  well-dressed  elderly  lady,  and — Em- 
meline had  time  to  see  no  more,  for  a  damsel  darted  up 
to  her,  caught  hold  of  both  hands,  and  kissed  her  eagerly. 
'How  do  you  do,  dear  Emmie?'  then  turning  to  Kate, 
'  and  Katie  too,'  embracing  her  too.  '  Well,  this  is 
delightful ! '  '  Here,  mamma,  this  is  Emmie — and  here 
is  dear  Kate.' 

Mrs  Allen  held  out  her  hand  with  almost  equal  eager- 
ness. '  You  must  let  me  be  like  an  old  friend,'  said  she, 
'  I  have  heard  so  much  of  you  from  Susan.  She  has  been 
quite  wild  ever  since  she  heard  you  were  in  London,  since 
her  brother  mentioned  that  he  had  the  pleasure  of  meet- 
ing the  Miss  Berners  the  day  before  yesterday.  You 
must  let  me  introduce  him — my  son  Henry.' 

Emmeline  recognised  in  Mr  Allen,  the  gentleman  who 
had  been  next  to  her  at  dinner,  but  who  had  been  so 
engrossed  by  a  lively  conversation  with  his  other  neigh- 
bour, as  to  leave  her  entirely  to  the  attention  of  the 
admirer  of  the  turbot.  He  was  good  looking,  tall  and 
gentleman-like,  and  spoke  pleasantly.  '  I  fell  under 
Susan's  grievous  displeasure  for  not  having  found  you  out 
before,'  said  he  ;  '  but  in  the  evening,  when  I  had  dis- 
covered that  you  were  the  ladies  whose  names  I  had 
heard  so  often,  you  were  better  engaged.' 

'  0,  I  was  delighted  to  hear  you  were  in  London, 
said  Susan,  '  and  so  provoked  with  Henry — ' 


220  THE    CASTLE    BUILDEPwS. 

Sir  Francis  and  Lady  Willoughby  now  came  in,  and 
all  the  civilities  began  again ;  Mrs.  Allen  representing 
that  her  daughter,  and  the  Miss  Berners  had  been  the 
closest  friends  in  the  world  at  school,  and  that  Susan 
talked  of  no  one  else ;  and  Lady  "Willoughby,  who  had 
reasons  to  think  well  of  the  fashionableness  of  Mrs. 
Allen,  on  her  side,  politely  making  the  utmost  of  having, 
about  twice,  heard  the  name  of  Susan  Allen. 

Susan  in  the  meantime  sat  between  the  two  sisters, 
talking  eagerly  and  caressingly.  '  0.  I  was  so  delighted 
when  Henry  told  me ;  I  could  not  rest  till  we  had  found 
out  where  to  find  you.  And  was  it  not  tiresome  of  him  ? 
0,  I  did  scold  him  so.' 

'  What,  for  finding  us  out  ?  '  said  Emmeline,  smiling. 

It  is  not  perhaps  necessary  to  inquire  how  much  of  all 
this  violent  friendship  would  have  existed,  if  Mr.  Henry 
Allen  had  not  reported  that  he  had  met  those  school  ac- 
quaintances of  hers,  those  daughters  of  Lady  Willough- 
by's,  pretty  looking  girls  enough,  and  that  old  Lord  Lid- 
desdale  had  talked  to  them  all  the  evening.  Her  afi'ection 
was  not  entirely  acting;  she  had  liked  no  one  at  Miss 
Danby's  better  than  Katherine  Berners,  and  her  kindly 
recollections  grew  into  extreme  fondness,  when  she  thought 
of  her  as  the  sister  of  Lady  Herbert  Somerville,  and  inti- 
mate with  Lord  Liddesdale  and  Lady  Frances,  who  wero 
far  above  the  Aliens'  own  circle.  Moreover,  the  history 
of  the  Miss  Berners  being  half  drowned,  had  been  in  the 
newspaper,  which  gave  them  a  new  charm. 

Of  this,  however,  Emmeline  and  Kate  knew  nothing; 
they  were  surprised  and  i:)leased  to  find  the  black-eyed 
Susan  so  fond  of  them,  and  fully  responded,  glad  to  talk 
over  old  times,  and  inquire  after  old  friends.  The  time 
for  taking  leave  came  only  too  soon.  Mrs.  Allen  apolo 
gized  for  having  made  a  visit  of  such  unreasonable  length  ; 
but  said,  she  did  not  know  how  to  separate  the  friends 
sooner;  and  Mr.  Allen  said  a  few  words^  half  jesting,  half 
complimentary,  about  young  ladies'  friendships. 

They  soon  met  again ;  the  Aliens  were  at  home  when 
the  call  was  returned  ;  they  were  at  a  morning  concert  the 
next  day,  and  had   much  pleasant  talk  about  music,  in 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  221 

which  Mr.  Allen  seemed  to  excel  as  much  as  Susan  had 
always  done  at  school.  Susan  recommended  her  singing- 
master,  and  quantities  of  new  music,  and  Emmeline  began 
to  take  it  up  more  in  earnest,  than  she  had  ever  done  be- 
fore. Then  came  a  dinner  party  at  Mrs.  Allen's,  whereat, 
in  spite  of  the  presence  of  Miss  Winstone,  Mr.  Allen  paid 
Miss  Berners  a  great  deal  of  attention,  talked,  laughed 
and  sang  with  her.  She  did  not  hate  dinner  parties  at  all 
now ;  for  though  she  thought  Henry  Allen  not  a  superior 
man,  and  certainly  an  idle  pleasure-seeker,  still  it  was  not 
disagreeable  to  know,  that  there  would  be  one  person,  at 
least,  with  whom  she  could  have  plenty  of  pleasant  small 
talk,  and  that  she  should  not  have- to  sit  forlorn,  as  at 
first. 

The  first  ball  was  now  in  expectation,  but  not  with  the 
flutter  of  ecstacy  with  which  young  ladies  of  the  olden 
time  used  to  look  forward  to  a  ball  Emmeline  and  Kate 
were  immeasurably  superior,  in  both  the  religious  and  in- 
tellectual tone  of  their  minds,  to  any  mere  pleasure  in 
dress,  in  dancing,  or  in  display.  Dancing  was  only  con- 
nected in  their  ideas,  with  dancing  masters  and  constraint, 
they  were  resolute  against  waltzes  and  polkas,  they  hated 
nonsensical  talk,  and  thought  the  sight  of  a  flirtation  too 
shocking  to  be  laughed  at. 

Kate  tried  to  comfort  herself  with  Mr.  Willoughby's 
consolation,  that  as  long  as  they  did  not  like  it,  it  could 
not  be  doing  them  harm ;  but  Emmeline  did  not  seem  to 
wish  for  consolation,  and  with  a  sort  of  melancholy  resig- 
nation, prepared,  as  she  said,  to  be  dragged  along,  bound 
to  the  chariot  wheels  of  vanity. 

Susan  Allen  laughed  at  them  both,  and  told  them, 
that  she  did  not  promise  that  they  would  like  their  first 
ball,  or  their  second,  but  she  was  sure  they  would  soon  be 
delighted,  quite  as  fond  of  balls  as  herself.  EmmelinO 
thought  this  an  insult,  and  could  scarcely  smile  politely. 
Kate  went  on  answering  Susan's  advice  about  their  dress, 
but  even  she  was  soon  reduced  to  look  down,  to  hide  the 
pain  it  gave  her,  when  Susan  lamented  their  mourning, 
and  asked  if  they  could  not  make  it  slighter ;  it  must  bo 
nearly  six  weeks  since — 


222  THE    CASTLE   BUILDEFwS. 

Susan  had  got  on  unsafe  ground  ;  there  was  a  pause, 
a  dead  pause  ;  slie  had  been  misled  by  the  quiet  soft  way 
in  which  Lady  Willoughby  talked  of  '  poor  Frank.' 

'  Indeed,  I  am  very  sorry,'  said  she,  earnestly ;  '  I  had 
no  idea — you  must  have  been  very  fond  of  him — indeed, 
I  beg  your  pardon ;  it  must  have  been  an  immense  shock 
to  you — '  She  stopped  short,  in  hopes  of  a  full  account 
of  the  accident,  but  both  the  sisters  were  incapable  of  giv- 
ing it  to  lier^  and  Kate  presently  said,  calmly,  '  Then  you 
think  those  white  wreaths  will  look  well.' 

Susan  Allen  could  never  be  their  great  friend,  that 
was  felt  by  both.  They  had  afterwards  to  dine  at  Lord 
Liddesdale's,  and  see  Lady  Frances  for  the  first  time. 
There  was  a  large  party,  and  all  the  beginning  of  the 
evening  they  could  have  scarcely  any  thing  of  Lady 
Frances  but  the  warm  shake  of  her  hand  on  their  arrival, 
and,  afterwards,  the  distant  view  of  her  calm  quiet  face 
and  soft  brown  eyes,  full  of  an  ineffable  smile  of  happi- 
ness. 

Later,  however,  in  the  midst  of  the  sounds  of  music 
and  talking,  she  came  to  them  to  exchange  a  few  happy 
questions  about  Herbert  and  Constance.  '  How  much  I 
have  to  say  to  you ! '  said  she,  '  but  it  won't  do  now.  I 
will  come  to  you  some  morning,  and  try  to  have  it  all  out. 
Well,  and  how's  all  wi'  you,  as  the  people  at  Rowthorpe 
say  ?     How  do  you  like  coming  out  ?  ' 

'  It  is  not  so  bad  as  we  expected,'  said  Kate. 

'  But  the  worst  is  to  come,'  said  Emmeline, '  a  horrible 
ball  to- morrow.' 

Lady  Frances  laughed. 

'  You  don't  like  balls,  you  never  go  to  them,'  said 
Kate. 

*  Very  seldom,'  said  Lady  Frances  ;  '  but  you  know  I 
am  getting  into  years,  and  going  in  instead  of  coming 
out.' 

'  0,  Lady  Frances  ! '  cried  Emmeline,  shocked,  while 
Kate,  with  more  of  the  simplicity  of  two  years  ago,  said, 
'  Did  you  like  balls,  when — when  you  were  young  %  ' 

*  No,  I  do  not  think  I  did ;  but  then  I  did  not  like 
dancing,  nor  late  hours.     I  used  to  look  at  them  witii 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDER*.  223 

great  indifference  after  tlie  first.  Yes,  I  only  liked  going 
for  two  years,'  and  then  her  sweet  soft  grave  look  came 
over  her  face.  '  Dear  Annie  used  to  enjoy  dancing  very 
much.' 

*  Did  she  ?  '  said  Kate,  eagerly. 

'  Yes,  very  much,  dancing  for  the  sake  of  dancing,  and 
she  used  to  look  so  like  a  fairy — you  would  hardly  fancy 
this  room  one  twilight  evening,  some  seven  years  ago, 
when  Herbert  and  Annie,  slim  things  of  eighteen  and  six- 
teen, were  waltzing  about  it  together,  almost  flying — and 
Somerville  standing  there,  by  the  fire,  in  a  state  of  vir- 
tuous comtempt  and  indignation,  with  papa  laughing  at 
him.' 

'  0,  the  polka  and  waltz  ! '  said  Emmelino.  '  Did  you, 
did  *she  dance  them  at  balls  ?  ' 

'  No,'  said  Lady  Frances,  '  she  used  to  say  that  it  was 
a  very  good  thing  there  were  so  many,  to  prevent  balls 
from  being  too  delightful  and  bewitching,  by  keeping  her 
sitting  down,  with  her  feet  longing  to  be  moving.' 

Lady  Frances  had  never  said  so  much  of  her  sister 
Annie  before,  but  it  seemed  as  if  she  could  not  be  happy 
without  thinking  of  Annie  as  happy  too ;  and,  besides, 
perhaps  she  had  a  reason  for  it,  she  might  not  like  to  give 
positive  advice,  but  this  was  a  hint,  in  case  they  might  not 
find  balls  quite  as  horrible  as  they  expected. 

The  time  came,  and  to  the  last  minute  Emmeline  was 
disconsolate.  Even  while  her  white  wreath  was  being 
settled  on  her  head,  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  Clements, 
nurse,  Kate,  and  the  upper  housemaid,  she  was,  as  well  as 
the  necessity  of  holding  up  her  head  would  permit,  scrib- 
bling in  pencil,  a  poem  about  the  chariot  wheels  of  vanity, 
and  an  aching  heart.  Their  own  chariot  wheels  did  not 
put  the  verses  out  of  her  head,  but  two  beautiful  stanzas 
were  composed  to  their  accompaniment;  and  even  the 
sound  of  the  music,  and  the  brilliance  of  the  crowded 
room,  did  not  drive  them  out.  Nay,  the  bright  dresses, 
the  graceful  gliding  figures,  the  animated  smiling  faces, 
only  gave  additional  ideas  to  be  wrought  into  them. 
There  was  little  interruption ;  they  had  not  yet  many  ac- 
quaintances, especially  among  the  dancing  part  of  the  male 


224  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

community ;  they  were  pretty  and  elegant,  but  far  from 
striking  or  distinguished  enough  to  attract  atttention  ;  and 
there  they  stood,  side  by  side,  near  their  mother,  Enime- 
line  lost  in  her  poetry,  and  feeling  herself  immeasurably 
superior  to  the  people  who  seemed  to  delight  in  this  crowd 
of  folly ;  Kate  trying  to  find  amusement  in  watching  the 
dresses,  and  dances,  and  wondering  if  those  bright-faced 
young  ladies  enjoyed  themselves  in  as  wholesome  a  way  as 
Lady  Anne  Somerville  had  done. 

Sir  Francis  got  into  a  fuss,  and  asked  them  if  they  did 
not  want  to  dance  ;  they  were  magnanimous  and  indiflfer- 
cnt,  until  at  last,  just  as  a  quadrille  was  beginning,  the 
Aliens  found  then  out,  and  Henry  asked  Miss  Berners  to 
dance.  Miss  Berners  danced  well,  and  enjoyed  it ;  ^she 
walked  about  with  him  afterwards,  and  was  very  merry. 
He  brought  her  back  to  her  mother,  and  asked  Miss 
Katherine  for  the  next  dance ;  it  was  a  polka,  and  Kate, 
colouring  deeply,  thanked  him  and  refused.  He  stood  a 
little  longer  laughing  and  talking  with  them,  and  then, 
seeing  some  other  acquaintance,  quitted  them. 

This  was  nearly  the  whole  history  of  the  evening. 
Emmeline  had  one  chance  of  a  partner  again,  but  it  waa 
for  a  waltz,  and  she  refused.     So  ended  their  first  ball. 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  225 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

I  sighed  for  something,  what  I  could  not  say, 

I  fancied  virtues,  which  were  never  seen, 

And  died  for  heroes,  who  have  never  been ; 

I  sickened  with  disgust  at  sober  sense, 

And  loathed  the  pleasures  worth  and  truth  dispense, 

Contemned  the  manners  of  the  world  I  saw. 

My  guide  v*'as  fiction,  and  romance  my  law. 

H.  More. 

It  was  not  long  before  Emmeline  and  Kate  again  met 
Miss  Allen,  and  she  forthwith  attacked  them  about  their 
dancing.  Not  choose  to  dance  the  polka  !  It  was  absurd, 
it  was  ridiculous,  it  was  like  nobody  else,  it  was  prudish, 
it  was  censorious.  Emmeline  had  a  liking  for  the  idea  of 
being  persecuted,  but  there  was  not  the  same  kind  of 
vigour  about  her  now  as  formerly.  She  fought  a  tolerable 
battle  ;  said  she  did  not  blame  waltzers,  only  she  had 
rather  not  herself;  she  knew  many  people  who  disliked  it, 
&c.  Susan  Allen  answered  that  many  girls  thought  so  at 
first,  but  Emmeline  would  find  it  would  not  do,  and  would 
soon  be  like  other  people. 

'  I  don't  want  to  be  like  other  people,'  said  Emmeline, 
as  soon  as  Susan  was  gone,  '  I  had  rather  be  unlike  this 
world.' 

'  Unlike  it  when  it  does  wrong,'  said  Kate,  '  but  not 
to  be  unlike  for  the  sake  of  unlikeness.' 

'  That  is  the  point,'  said  Emmeline.     '  I  would  never 
do  anything  for  the  sake  of  avoiding  persecution ;  never 
bow  my  head  to  the  god  of  this  world,  but — ' 
10* 


226  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

What  that  *  but '  meant  must  remain  undecided. 

An  evening  party,  where  there  was  dancing,  followed 
on  the  next  day.  The  Aliens  were  there,  and  Henry,  with 
a  look  of  meaning,  asked  Emmeline  to  be  his  partner. 
His  sister  was  near,  and  it  seemed  to  her  that  a  refusal  to 
waltz  would  entail  a  bantering,  from  which  all  her  feelings 
shrank.  She  had  rather  do  the  deed  than  hear  it  talked 
about,  so  she  accepted,  and  was  soon  in  the  midst  of  the 
whirl. 

'  Well,  Kate,'  said  Susan,  '  I  hope  soon  to  see  you 
follow  your  sister's  good  example.' 

Kate  smiled,  and  Susan  being  at  the  same  time  asked 
to  dance,  she  was  left  to  her  own  thoughts.  It  was  not 
wrong  in  Emmie ;  no ;  gentle  Kate  could  never  conceive 
such  an  idea;  it  looked  very  pleasant,  much  more  so  than 
standing  in  the  hot  crowd,  close  to  Lady  Willoughby's 
chair.  The  lady  of  the  house  introduced  a  gentleman, 
who  asked  her  to  join  the  waltzing,  but,  without  thinking, 
habit  made  her  at  once  refuse.  She  wondered  the  next 
moment  whether  she  was  sorry  or  not — she  would  have 
enjoyed  it ;  it  would  have  been  doing  like  Emmie  ;  but 
Kate  recollected  Mr.  Willoughby,  and  the  waltz  seemed 
incongruous,  and  then  she  thought  of  Lady  Annie  Somer- 
ville,  and  thenceforward  her  mind  was  made  up. 

Now  that  Miss  Berners  had  once  begun,  she  could  not 
leave  off;  she  could  not  refuse  other  people  when  she 
danced  with  Mr.  Allen,  so  she  danced  nearly  all  the  even- 
ing. As  they  went  home  Kate  was  pitied  for  having  no 
partners,  and  Lady  Willoughby  said,  rather  sleepily,  that 
she  hoped  she  was  not  going  to  make  herself  talked  about 
by  not  waltzing. 

Emmeline,  as  soon  as  they  were  in  their  own  room, 
began  talking.  '  I  was  obliged,  you  know,  Kate,  or  Susan 
would  have  made  such  a  rout,  and  that  would  have  been 
dreadful.    Besides —  But  don't  you  mean  ever  to  do  it  ?' 

'  Dear  Emmie,  you  won't  be  vexed  with  me  if  I  don't,' 
said  Kate,  imploringly. 

'  No,  I  can't  be  vexed  with  you  at  all,  Katie,  darling. 
It  is  just  as  one  feels.' 

There  it  dropped,  but  Kate's  feeling  was  more  and 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  227 

more  that  here  was  the  one  proof  of  sincerity,  by  which  she 
might  try  herself,  whether  she  was  still  anchored  to  the 
feelings  with  which  the  events  of  the  spring  had  inspired 
her.  It  would  be,  as  Lady  Anne  had  said,  a  bit  of  self- 
denial  to  keep  gaieties  from  being  too  delightful. 

Susan  Allen  teazed  her,  but  she  got  through  it  pretty 
well,  by  laughing  and  owning  herself  silly.  As  to  her 
mother,  her  uneasiness  on  the  matter  was  calmed  by  Mrs. 
Allen,  who  said,  '  It  would  all  come  right ;  such  things 
would  settle  themselves  in  course  of  time  ;  girls  always 
said  so,  and  changed  their  mind  by  the  end  of  their  first 
season.'  So  ball  after  ball,  Kate  stood  contentedly  by  her 
mother,  while  Emmeline  danced.  Not  a  word  more  was 
heard  about  the  chariot  wheels  of  vanity. 

The  sisters  were  now  in  the  full  sweep  of  that  vortex 
which  whirls  young  ladies  round  during  their  first  London 
season.  From  morning  to  night  their  time  was  engrossed. 
Masters,  and  the  preparation  for  them,  took  up  from 
breakfast  till  late  in  the  afternoon,  then  came  the  daily 
drive,  and  then  dressing  for  the  evening's  amusement, 
which  generally  lasted  till  half  way  through  the  night. 
There  seemed  to  be  no  time  to  think,  or  to  build  castles, 
or,  if  Emmeline  built  any,  Kate  was  not  summoned  to 
help  her.  Externally  the  girls  led  almost  the  same  life, 
excepting  Kate's  persistence  in  avoiding  the  Polka,  and 
in  going  to  the  early  morning  service.  Of  the  latter,  in- 
deed, Emmeline  was  not  capable,  for  her  strength  was  not 
yet  fully  restored,  and  the  additional  hour  of  rest  in  the 
morning  was  absolutely  necessary.  Excitement  seemed  to 
keep  her  up,  for  whenever  there  was  a  vacant  interval  she 
grew  extremely  weary.  If  there  was  time  between  the 
drive  and  dinner,  she  lay  on  her  bed  and  drank  tea,  read- 
ing some  light  book ;  and  on  Sunday  she  was  sure  to  be 
very  tired. 

They  saw  very  little  of  Lady  Frances,  who  did  not  go 
out  much,  and  whose  line  of  society  was  not  the  same  as 
theirs,  and  the  Aliens  were  the  persons  with  whom  they 
were  most  intimate.  Susan  Allen,  by  means  of  comport- 
ing herself  as  if  she  was  Emmeline's  greatest  friend,  was 
actually  making  her  believe  so,  and  establishing  consider- 
able influence  over  her;  and,  besides,  there  was  the  brother. 


228  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

Henry  Allen  was  as  far  as  possible  from  Emmeline'a 
beau  ideal  of  a  hero  with  a  poker  in  his  back.  He  was 
nothing  but  a  fashionable  young  man,  who  ought  to  have 
had  something  to  do,  and  who  could  talk  agreeably,  but 
very  shallowly.  Emmeline  knew  this,  and  from  a  distance 
she  would  have  heartily  despised  him,  nay,  she  did  so  at 
present,  but  he  was  the  first  person  who  ever  paid  her  that 
sort  of  attention  which  flatters  a  vanity  of  which  she  had 
not  yet  been  sensible.  He  meant  nothing  by  it,  nor  did 
Emmeline  consider  whether  he  did.  If  she  had  analyzed 
her  state  of  mind,  she  would  have  been  taken  by  surprise 
and  shocked  ;  for  she  would  not  have  found  a  particle  of 
attachment,  but  a  great  deal  of  gratified  vanity. 

It  was  a  state  of  intoxication ;  music,  amusement, 
dancing,  admiration  had  got  hold  of  Emmeline's  mind,  and 
carried  her  along.  It  was  all  present,  she  had  no  space 
for  past  or  future ;  if  she  had,  her  spirits  flagged  more 
than  her  bodily  strength.  Future  visions  had  lost  their 
zest ;  she  was  tired  of  them  ;  a  dreary  grey  had  taken  the 
place  of  the  rainbow  tints  of  former  days.  For  the  past, 
Emmeline  could  not  look  back  to  it,  it  only  reminded  her 
of  that  sad  loss — of  disappointment ;  and,  worst  of  all, 
of  what  she  scarcely  dared  to  remember,  of  vanished  im- 
pulses of  good,  of  resolutions  from  which  she  had  fallen. 
On  every  unemployed  hour  was  written,  '  Yanity  and  vex- 
ation of  spirit,'  and  therefore  Emmeline  left  none  unoc- 
cupied. She  read,  studied,  played,  danced,  and  gave 
herself  up  more  and  more  to  the  fascination  of  the  Aliens, 
chiefly  because  they  served  to  banish  thought. 

So  passed  more  than  a  month,  when  one  Saturday  the 
Aliens  and  the  Willoughby  party  went  to  the  opera  to- 
gether. There  was  a  great  deal  of  talk  about  music,  end- 
ing in  a  proposal  from  Susan  that  Emmeline  and  Kate 
should  go  with  her  on  Sunday  morning  to  hear  the  service 
at  a  Koman  Catholic  Chapel — the  most  beautiful  music, 
as  both  she  and  her  brother  said,  that  could  be  imagined. 

The  sisters  were  shocked,  but  Susan  seemed  to  think 
nothing  of  it ;  '  Henry  went  almost  always,'  she  said,  'and 
she  and  mamma  very  often.  Every  one  did;  there  was 
no  danger  of  their  being  taken  for  Koman  Catholics,  if 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  229 

that  was  what  they  were  afraid  of,  and  they,  could  go  to 
Church  in  the  afternoon.' 

'  Impossible,  I  cannot  think  of  it,  dear  Susan,'  was 
Emmeline's  ultimatum  on  Saturday  night,  and  no  more 
passed  at  that  time.  As  the  girls  were  going  to  bed, 
Emmeline  added  to  Kate,  that  her  whole  mind  revolted 
at  the  idea  of  making  a  spectacle  of  a  religious  service. 

On  Monday,  Henry  Allen  brought  them  a  report  of 
the  beauty  of  the  service ;  on  Friday  he  showed  them  a 
programme  of  the  music  which  was  to  be  heard  at  High 
Mass  on  the  next  Sunday,  and  the  name  of  a  famous 
preacher,  who  was  in  every  one's  mouth.  '  Surely,'  he 
safvi,  '  you  will  not  persist  in  your  refusal.' 

Emmeline  made  no  direct  answer.  Kate  said, '  I  don't 
like  to  miss  Church  ; '  but  Kate  was  not  the  person  chiefly 
sought,  so  her  reply  was  not  regarded. 

On  Saturday  evening  they  again  met  Susan,  who,  with 
her  saucy  wilful  air,  said,  'We  mean  to  come  for  you  to- 
morrow morning,  mind,  Emmie.' 

'  0  no,  pray  don't,'  said  Emmeline. 

'Indeed  I  shall,  and  mind  you  don't^keep  us  waiting, 
or  we  shall  never  get  seats.     There  is  such  a  rush  always 

when  Dr. preaches.     I  would  not  miss  hearing  him 

for  the  world.  You  cannot  guess  what  beautiful  language 
it  is — so  powerful  and  metaphorical.  It  is  perfect  poetry, 
I  assure  you,  and  you  were  always  fond  of  poetry — in  that 
exquisite  chapel  too.  0,  you  are  just  the  person  to  be 
delighted.  You  will  never  forget  it.  Now  then,'  as  her 
mother  was  rising  to  go  away,  '  it  is  a  settled  thing.  We 
shall  come  in  the  carriage  and  call  for  you.' 

'  0,  no,  no,  pray  don't  Susan,  I  had  much  rather  not,' 
said  Emmeline;  but  Susan  shook  hands  with  her  with  an 
arch  look  of  meaning. 

'  I  hope  they  will  not  come  for  us  !'  was  Emmeline's 
heart-felt  exclamation  that  night. 

'  I  hope  not,  I  am  sure,'  echoed  Kate ;  '  it  will  be  very 
disagreeable  to  have  to  refuse.' 

'  And  I  should  like  it  after  all,'  said  Emmeline,  '  for 
once  in  a  way — it  must  be  so  gorgeous  and  impressive.  It 
must  be  the  realization  of  what  one  has  read  of 


230  THE    CASTLE    EUILDEllS. 

'  One  would  not  know  whether  to  join  in  it,  or  not, 
said  Kate ;  '  it  would  not  feel  right  to  be  merely  looking 
on,  and  yet — 0,  I  should  not  like  it,  uncle  Willoughby 
would  not  like  it.' 

'  Uncle  Willoughby  has  old-world  notions,'  said  Em- 
meline. 

'  0,  Emmie  !  ' 

*  Well,  I  wish  Susan  would  not  be  so  pertinacious,'  said 
Emmeliue ;  '  I  don't  half  like  going,  and  yet  I  do  want 
to  see  it,  and  to  hear  that  music.  It  would  be  a  thing  to 
dwell  on.  But  I  have  told  her  it  must  not  be,  I  hope  we 
shall  hear  no  more  of  it.' 

'  I  hope  so,'  replied  Kate. 

Morning  came,  and  the  family  were  at  breakfast,  when 
a  carriage  stopped  at  the  door ;  there  was  a  double  knock, 
and  Henry  Allen  was  ushered  into  the  breakfast-room. 

'  My  mother  and  sister  are  in  the  carriage,'  he  said  ; 
'  they  have  deputed  me  to  summon  the  Miss  Berners  to 
join  us.' 

'  0,  Mrs.  Allen  told  me  last  night,'  said  Lady  Wil- 
loughby ;  '  she  has  been  kind  enough  to  offer  to  take  them 
to  hear  the  music  at  St.  Bonaventura's  this  morning.  We 
are  much  obliged  to  her ;  it  will  be  such  au  advantage  to 
your  music,  my  dears.' 

'  I  thought  I  told  Susan,'  faltered  Emmeline,  hesitat- 
ingly. 

'  Susan  and  I  have  ventured  to  judge  for  you,'  said 
Henry.     '  You  do  not  know  what  you  would  give  up.' 

'  There  is  nothing  particular  in  going,  I  am  told,  my 
dear,'  said  Lady  Willoughby.  *  The  most  fashionable 
people  do  so.' 

'  May  I  be  allowed  to  hasten  you,'  said  Henry ;  '  if  we 
are  not  early,  we  shall  not  secure  a  good  place.' 

'  Then  thank  you,  do  pray  go  without  us,'  said  Emme- 
line, beginning  a  hurried  explanation  to  her  mother ;  but 
Mr.  Allen  made  a  demonstration  of  obstinacy,  as  if  he 
would  not  move  without  her. 

'  Come,  young  ladies,'  said  Sir  Francis,  '  3^ou  are  keep- 
ing Mrs.  Allen  waiting.  You  should  have  made  up  your 
minds  sooner.' 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  23  , 

'  Well,  then,  since — '  said  Emmeline,  slowly  risings 
and  leaving  the  room.     Kate  followed  her. 

Emmeline  began  hastily  to  put  on  her  things,  with  a 
little  petulance.  Kate  helped  her,  saying,  '  Emmie,  dear, 
if  you  go,  it  will  be  civility  enough  to  the  Aliens,  without 
me.' 

'  0,  Kate,  won't  you  go  ?  It  will  be  no  pleasure  with- 
out you.' 

'  I  think  I  should  be  more  comfortable  if  I  did  not 
Don't  be  disappointed  with  me,  dear  Emmie.  Somehow, 
I  can't  make  up  my  mind  to  it.' 

'  Very  well,'  said  Emmeline,  '  I  can't  stop  now.  You 
are  getting  quite  determined,  Kate.' 

The  first  time  she  had  ever  been  pettish  with  Kate ; 
but  there  was  no  time  to  recall  the  expression,  down  she 
ran,  and  with  a  few  words  of  explanation,  was  setting  off. 

That  Emmeline  was  eager  and  curious,  cannot  be  de- 
nied ;  but  at  the  same  time  she  would  have  preferred 
giving  up  the  expedition.  She  knew  it  was  wrong,  though 
without  entering  into  all  the  reasons  against  it,  and  she 
had  not  been  used  to  act  directly  against  her  conscience, 
so  that  it  would  not  let  her  be  at  peace. 

The  Aliens  were  delighted,  and  greeted  her  eagerly, 
without  much  caring  for  Kate's  absence,  though  it  was  a 
dart  to  Emmeline,  unused  as  she  was  to  do  anything  with- 
out her  sister.  There  was  something  uncomfortable  in 
their  satisfaction  at  having  captured  her ;  it  had  so  much 
of  exultation  that  it  seemed  like  a  triumph  ;  and  she,  who 
had  such  ideas  of  the  magnificence  of  resistance  and  firm- 
ness, could  ill  brook  to  feel  that  she  had  been  persuaded, 
against  her  better  judgment. 

Emmeline  talk  of  firmness  !  What  had  her  whole  life 
been  since  she  left  school  ?  Had  it  not  been  one  course 
of  fluctuating  purpose,  half-executed  projects,  vague 
dreams  ?  Unstable  !  was  the  history  of  all  she  did,  and 
wherefore?  We  read  that  a  double-minded  man  is  un- 
stable in  all  his  ways.  Poor  Emmeline,  we  cannot  call 
her  double-minded  in  the  sense  of  insincere ;  but  she  was 
not  single-hearted,  though  she  little  knew  it,  and  deceived 
DO  one  but  herself.     She  talked,  she  fancied  great  things, 


232  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

she  had  high  designs  of  virtue,  but  little  reality  ;  she  left 
untouched  the  practical  duties  that  lay  at  once  before  her, 
and  stra-ined  after  high  things  of  her  own  imagination, 
while  utterly  neglecting  the  means  she  had  always  been 
taught  was  the  especial  channel  of  grace. 

As  in  the  state  of  dissatisfaction  above  mentioned 
Emmcline  sat  by  Mrs.  Allen's  side,  she  happened  to  glance 
from  the  window,  and  exclaimed  at  once,  '  I  do  believe  it 
is  Herbert ! ' 

•  Was  it  only  a  vision  called  up  by  conscience,  imagin- 
ing Lord  Herbert  in  every  Clergyman  walking  forth  to 
his  Sunday  School  ? 

The  recognition,  though  it  might  be  only  a  fancy,  did 
not  tend  to  compose  her  spirits  ;  but  she  did  not  wish  the 
Aliens  to  think  her  alarmed  at  the  thought  of  her  brother- 
in-law,  and  therefore  talked  gaily  in  order  to  appear  un- 
concerned. She  had  nearly  succeeded  by  the  time  they 
arrived  at  the  place  of  their  destination. 

It  was  a  most  beautiful  edifice,  built  according  to  the 
rules  of  perfect  architecture,  and  adorned  within  in  ex- 
quisite taste,  with  great  richness  and  splendour,  and  with 
attention  to  the  emblematic  signification  of  each  ornament; 
one  of  the  places  in  which  Komanism  is  displayed  with 
the  greatest  attractions  to  educated  and  imaginative  minds, 
keeping  back  as  much  as  possible  all  that  is  offensive  to  a 
truly  Catholic  principle,  and  putting  foremost  what  is  really 
true  and  beautiful,  what  it  possesses  as  being  a  Church, 
and  hiding  much  of  what  belongs  to  Komanism,  as  such. 

Emmeline's  admiration  was  won  in  a  moment,  the  sur- 
prise and  delight  almost  taking  away  her  breath.  She  had 
feeling  and  taste  enough  to  understand  as  well  as  admire ; 
she  saw  the  appropriateness  where  the  Aliens  simply  won- 
dered, and  her  mind  was  entranced. 

It  was  the  same  with  the  service.  She  knew  Latin 
enough  to  follow  in  some  degree,  and  with  the  ordinary 
ignorance  about  the  Roman  Catholic  services,  she  was  very 
much  taken  by  surprise  at  finding  so  little  that  was  ob- 
jectionable, and  so  much  that  was  extremely  beautiful. 
The  music,  the  ceremonial,  the  appearance  of  reverential 
awe,  so  much  greater  than  what  she  was  used  to  see — all 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS,  233 

had  their  effect ;  everything  she  saw  and  heard  combined 
to  bring  her  into  a  state  of  enchantment  such  as  she  had 
never  known,  and  which  made  her  feel  more  devout,  or 
perhaps,  more  properly,  excited  in  her  devotion  than  she 
had  ever  been  before. 

Not  that  she  was  inclined  to  become  a  Koman  Catho- 
lic ;  she  knew  that  there  were  too  many  reasons  against 
that  to  be  enumerated ;  but  a  deep  impression  had  been 
made  upon  her.  Had  she  a  right  to  subject  herself  to 
such  impressions,  when  it  is  certain  that  the  ivhole  of  the 
system  which  conveys  them  is  not  the  truth  %  Was  it  not 
running  after  temptation  ?  Years  after,  Emmeline  had 
reason  to  lament  that  visit  to  St.  Bonaventura's. 

She  had  intended  to  go  to  Church  in  the  afternoon, 
but  they  were  late  in  returning  to  Mrs.  Allen's,  and  she 
had  to  take  luncheon  there ;  this  occupied  a  long  time, 
and  the  bells  were  ringing  before  they  had  finished  ;  then 
came  callers,  and  the  end  of  it  was  that  she  could  not 
leave  her  friends  till  nearly  dinner  time,  when  with  her 
ears  full  of  the  music,  and  her  head  of  the  vague  dreamy 
thoughts  of  exaltation  that  the  talk  of  the  afternoon  had 
confused,  not  driven  away,  she  went  homewards,  almost 
glad  to  have  missed  the  afternoon  service  ;  it  would  have 
sounded,  she  thought,  so  cold  and  tame  after  what  she  had 
just  heard. 

When  Emmeline  was  gone,  Kate  felt  somewhat  discon- 
solate. She  did  not  like  to  be  left  behind,  or  to  miss 
what  Emmie  was  doing,  and  was  afraid  that  her  sister 
thought  her  particular  and  disagreeable.  However,  it 
could  not  be  helped,  so  she  returned  to  the  breakfast  table. 
Her  mother,  and  Sir  Francis,  though  surprised  to  see  her, 
agreed  that  she  had  judged  wisely  in  not  crowding  Mrs. 
Allen's  carriage. 

The  breakfast  party  had  just  settled  down  again  when 
there  was  another  knock  at  the  door,  and  the  next  moment, 
Kate  could  hardly  believe  her  ears  or  eyes,  for  she  heard 
the  announcement  of  '  Lord  Herbert  Somerville ; '  and 
there  stood,  Constance's  Herbert,  tall  and  slight,  dark- 
haired,  bright-eyed,  and  red  and  white,  just  as  he  went 
away,  and  his  hand  was  pressing  fast  her  own,  and  his 


234  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

brotherly  kiss  on  her  foreliead,  as  she  had  so  little  hoped 
would  ever  be  again,  and  yet  she  could  hardly  rejoice, 
while  Emmeline  was  missing. 

Lady  Willoughby  received  him  in  her  graceful  way, 
Sir  Francis  with  cordiality,  and  then  followed  his  anxious 
inquiry  for  Emmeline,  was  she  well  ? 

*  Yes,  very  well,'  said  her  mother,  *  she  will  be  so  sorry 
— it  is  very  unfortunate,  but  her  friend  Miss  Allen  has 
taken  possession  of  her  for  the  day,  and  carried  her  off. 
How  annoyed  she  will  be  ! ' 

He  soon  proposed  to  Kate  to  walk  back  with  him,  and 
join  Constance  and  the  rest  of  his  family  at  Church,  pro- 
mising to  bring  her  back  after  the  afternoon  service,  when 
Constance  could  come  with  them.  She  was  delighted  to 
accede  to  his  plan,  and,  as  it  was  getting  late,  he  begged 
her  to  put  on  her  bonnet  quickly. 

While  she  was  doing  so,  a  thrill  of  consternation  came 
over  her  again,  '  what  would  Herbert  and  Constance  think 
of  Emmie's  present  occupation  ? '  '  Oh,'  she  answered 
herself,  'they  have  been  in  Roman  Catholic  countries;' 
and  therewith  she  was  satisfied,  and  only  pitied  Emmie  for 
having  lost  this  delightful  meeting.  When  she  came  down, 
she  found  that  Lord  Herbert  had  promised  to  come  to 
dinner  that  evening. 

They  were  soon  walking  fast  along  the  street  arm  in 
arm.  She  would  have  been  completely  happy,  if  Emme- 
line's  loss  had  not  been  on  her  mind. 

It  was  her  first  exclamation,  '  Why,  Herbert,  how  well 
you  are ! ' 

He  smiled, '  Yes,  that  Italian  spring  seemed  to  be  made 
of  freshness  and  renovation.  You  can't  think  how  beauti- 
ful it  was.' 

'  And  do  you  never  cough  at  all  now  ?  0  there,  Her- 
bert, unless  you  did  so  on  purpose.' 

'  No,  I  did  not — it  is  only  what  Somerville  calls  my 
unconstitutional  cough.' 

*  I  am  sorry — I  thought  you  were  really  going  to  be 
thoroughly  well.' 

'  Why,  lungs  are  not  to  be  mended  like  tea-kettles,  and 
mine  are  never  to  be  expected  to  be  very  sound  affairs, 
though  they  may  be  tinkered  up  for  the  time.' 


THE   CASTLE    BUILDERS.  235 

Then  as  she  looked  up  at  him  anxiously,  he  added 
cravely.  '  We  have  seen  how  life  and  death  are  beyond  our 
guesses.  Half  a  year  ago,  who  would  ha,ve  foretold  which 
of  us — Frank  or  myself,  would  be  walking  with  you  at 
this  moment  ? ' 

'  Oh  Herbert ! — that  dear  Frank — I  am  so  glad  you 
knew  him  a  little.' 

'■  It  was  very  little,  but  enough  to  show  that  there  was 
something  very  deep  about  him.  There  was  a  truth  of 
character — I  hardly  know  how  to  describe  it,  except  as 
the  reverse  of  being  double-minded — and  originality  too.' 

'  0  you  did  understand  him  very  well  indeed ! '  said 
Kate,  holding  tighter  by  her  brother's  arm,  as  if  it  was 
an  additional  link,  '  but  there  was  so  much  more,  I  must 
tell  you  all  about  it  some  day,  all  about  his  great  trouble, 
when  Sir  Francis  would  not  let  him  follow  the  wish  of  his 
heart  and  be  a  clergyman — Dear  Frank,  he  has  the  wish 
of  his  heart  fulfilled  now,  as  uncle  Willoughby  says.' 

*  I  remember  how  we  thought  him  cut  out  for  parish 
work.  He  had  such  a  particularly  pleasant  way  of  speak- 
ing to  the  poor  people  at  Copseley — I  was  sure  you  would 
be  fond  of  him  in  time.' 

'  Fond  !  he  was  our  one  bright  spot !  But  don't  speak 
of  him  to  Emmie,  please  Herbert,  for  she  cannot  bear  the 
sound  of  his  name.  It  was  different  with  me,  for  I  was  a 
good  deal  with  uncle  Willoughby  just  after — but  poor 
Emmie  was  very  ill  at  first,  and  has  never  been  able  to 
begin  talking  about  him.'  -^ 

'  Do  you  think  her  quite  recovered  ?' 

'  Yes — no — she  is  not  strong,  poor  dear,  and  gets  so 
tired.' 

'  I  am  very  sorry  to  have  missed  her,  we  reckoned  on 
being  all  together,  as  we  were  in  those  merry  days  at 
Rowthorpe.  Are  you  Confirmed,  Kate  ? '  he  added  pre- 
sently. 

'  No,  we  were  so  sorry,  but  we  left  Herringsby  just 
too  soon.     AA^hy  ? ' 

'  Shall  you  mind  walking  to  St.  James's  Place  alone 
after  Church  ? ' 

'  0  no,  not  at  all.' 

'  I  think  this  first  Sunday  we  must  all  be  together 


236  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

there,'  said  Herbert  in  a  low  voice,  as  if  apologizing  to 
her,  as  there  was  a  tone  of  regret  in  her  voice. 

'  0  yes,  I  did  not  mean  that — It  is  our  own  fault,  I 
know  that  we  are  shut  out  from — from  you  all  and  Frank.' 
She  whispered  rather  than  spoke  the  last  words,  and  tears 
were  in  her  eyes. 

Lord  Herbert  spoke  very  kindly,  '  I  believe  the  Bishop 
intends  to  Confirm  at  Dearport  this  autumn';  we  must  try 
for  you  to  come  in  for  that.' 

'  Then  you  will  prepare  us.  0  it  is  what  wc  always 
wished,'  said  Kate  joyfully. 

'  And  where  is  Emmie  gone.     Whom  is  she  with  ?  ' 

*  The  Aliens ;   Susan  was  an  old  school  friend.' 

'  Is  she  staying  with  them  ?  ' 

'  0  no,  only  gone  with  them  this  morning.'  A  reluc- 
tance to  say  where  came  over  Kate,  and  she  finished,  '  she 
will  be  so  vexed  to  have  missed  you.' 

'  Gone  with  them  where  ? '  said  Lord  Herbert,  quite 
unsuspiciously. 

'  Why  they  took  her  to  go  with  them  to  hear  the  ser- 
vice at  St.  Bouaventura's ;  they  say  the  music  is  so  very 
fine,  and  Br. was  to  preach.' 

'To  a  Roman  Catholic  Chapel?'  said  Lord  Herbert. 

'  Yes — the  new  one — it  has  been  built  since  you  went, 
and  is  so  very  beautiful.' 

'  Have  you  been  there  ? ' 

'  Never,  nor  Emmie  till  to-day.  She  did  not  like 
going,  but  they  almost  carried  her  off  by  force.  Susan  is 
so  determined.' 

Lord  Herbert  made  no  answer,  and  turning  the  corner 
of  the  next  street,  just  as  the  bells  were  beginning,  they 
came  in  sight  of  the  two  pairs  walking  together,  Constance 
on  her  father-in-law's  arm.  Lady  Frances  with  her  brother. 
They  made  all  speed,  and  in  another  moment  Lord  Som- 
crville  had  looked  round,  seen  them,  and  they  had  met, 
with  a  whole  world  of  glad  greetings  sounding  round  Kate, 
and  an  anxious  inquiry  from  Constance  for  Emmcline. 
'Well,  but  just  gone  out  for  the  day  when  Herbert  came 
— 0  such  a  pity  ! ' 

'  And  mamma  ?  '  Constance  joined  company  with  her 
sister,  locking  her  arm  into  hers,  as  they  walked  on. 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  237 

'  0  yes,  quite  well,  dear,  dear  Constance ! ' 

*Is  not  Herbert  looking  well?'  said  Constance" tri« 
umpliantlj. 

'  Yes,  indeed,  how  glad — ' 

'  And  let  me  just  look  at  you,  sweet  Katie,  that  I 
may  know  youY  own  face  again.' 

The  sisters  turned  their  faces  to  each  other  with  a 
bright  sunny  look  of  love,  ending  in  the  playful  laugh 
witli  which  of  old  they  used  to  play  at  trying  which  could 
look  at  the  other  longest  without  smiling.  Constance 
was  scarcely  altered,  except  that  a  wifely,  ungirlish  ex- 
pression had  come  over  her  face.  Kate  was  a  little 
ashamed  of  the  difference  between  their  dress  ;  her  own, 
hardly  to  be  called  mourning,  a  lilac  muslin,  flounced  and 
trimmed  to  the  height  of  the  fashion,  with  a  black  lace 
polka  and  bonnet,  with  lilac  flowers  and  ribbons,  while 
Constance  wore  a  plain  black  silk,  and  a  straw  bonnet 
trimmed  with  white.  Kate  had  the  uncomfortable  feeling 
of  being  smart^  one  which  is  particularly  disagreeable  in 
the  company  of  persons  of  higher  rank. 

Only  a  few  happy  words  had  been  exchanged  before 
they  were  at  the  Church.  Lord  Liddesdale  put  Kate 
under  the  escort  of  a  servant,  for  her  solitary  walk  after 
the  service  was  over.  She  had  never  felt  it  so  wrong  to 
be  obliged  to  go  away,  nor  wished  so  much  to  remain. 
'  And  the  door  was  shut,'  returned  upon  her  several  times, 
and  she  felt  as  if  Frank,  as  if  everything  good,  were  there, 
and  she  herself  shut  out.  She  sat  in  Lady  Frances's 
little  morning  room,  trying  to  distinguish  in  her  own 
mind  between  the  real  desire  for  what  she  had  missed,  and 
the  mere  wish  to  do  like  the  others.  She  had  more  hope 
now  that  Herbert  and  Constance  were  come  ;  how  pleasant 
it  would  be  to  tell  uncle  Willoughby,  and  how  dear  Frank 
would  have  rejoiced  for  her.  Emmeline — Kate's  thoughts 
went  to  perplex  themselves  as  to  whether  Herbert  was 
displeased  with  Emmeline,  and  there  they  wearied  them- 
selves. Her  happiness  that  day  was  by  no  means  un- 
alloyed. 

Clouds  rolled  off,  however,  when  the  party  returned ; 
how  should  they  not  among  such  happy  people,  so  kind  in 


238  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

their  happiness,  and  making  her  so  entirely  one  of  them- 
selves ?  There  was  no  sensation  of  being  in  the  way,  or 
only  admitted  for  Constance's  sake;  they  all  showed 
themselves  glad  to  have  her  to  share  in  their  gladness,  and 
old  Lord  Liddesdale  was  especially  affectionate  and 
fatherly  in  manner.  It  would  have  been  almost  pleasure 
enough  to  watch  his  deep  heartfelt  happiness  in  having  his 
sons  back  again  ;  the  benevolence  that  seemed  more  than 
ever  to  beam  about  him,  and  his  air  of  not  being  able  to 
make  enough  of  Herbert. 

Constance  and  Kate  were  both  silent  in  their  glad- 
ness; but  Lord  Somerville  was  in  very  high  spirits,  and 
kept  up  a  sort  of  boyish  fun  and  bantering  with  sisters, 
brother,  and  father,  that  Kate  thought  both  delightful 
and  marvellous  at  his  mature  age.  And  she  saw  that 
Constance,  who  used  to  be  a  little  bewildered  and  fright- 
ened at  his  unexpected  speeches,  now  treated  him  with 
perfect  ease  and  familiarity,  even  calling  him  by  his  home 
nickname  of  Jack,  which  had  no  connection  with  his 
Christian  name,  but  was  the  remnant  of  days  when  the 
brothers  and  sisters  used  to  act  the  adventure  of  James 
III.  of  Scotland,  in  '  Tales  of  a  Grrandfather,'  and  he  had 
acquired  the  appellation  of  '  Spears  and  Jacks,'  since  be- 
come simply  '  Jack.' 

'  Well,'  said  Lord  Somerville,  as  Kate  stood  waiting 
in  the  drawing-room  for  a  moment,  while  the  others  were 
getting  ready  for  evening  Church,  '  I  hope  you  think  that 
Constance  does  credit  to  my  care.' 

Kate  laughed,  and  tried  to  find  something  to  say, 
which  resulted  in  '  She  is  looking  very  well.' 

'  I  have  learnt  a  great  deal  from  Constance,'  said  Lord 
Somerville,  and  as  Kate  looked  up  eagerly,  he  added, 
'  how  to  write  a  letter  when  there  is  nothing  but  brown 
mud  in  the  inkstand,'  speaking  with  the  same  gravity  as 
he  had  begun  the  sentence,  so  that  his  jest  or  earnest  was 
as  doubtful  to  Kate  as  it  used  to  be  two  years  ago. 

With  a  little  blush  and  hesitation  she  said,  '  We  ought 
to  thank  you  for  what  you  wrote  to  us.  It  was  such — 
Buch  a  comfort.' 

*  You  owe  me  thanks,'  he  said,  smiling,  '  for  I  grudged 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  239 

very  mucli  the  time  I  had  to  stay  away  from  him,  to 
write,  either  to  yoii  or  to  my  father,  witli  the  fear  that  I 
was  raisii)^^  false  hopes.  We  kept  the  letters  to  the  last 
moment,  that  we  might  be  able  to  say  something  decisive; 
but  when  I  sent  them,  I  little  thought  the  next  would  be 
hopeful.' 

'  lie  was  so  very  ill  then,'  said  Kate,  in  a  low  voice. 

'  So  much  exhausted  that — in  fact,  I  don't  think  he 
would  ever  have  got  through  those  two  days — but  for — 
"  he  hesitated  in  his  turn,"  for  Constance.  There — I 
think  it  bu-t  right  you  should  know  what  a  sister  you  have, 
and  as  you'll  never  hear  it  from  themselves,  for  Herbert 
would  think  praising  her  praising  himself,  I  may  as  well 
tell  you  that  nothing — ' 

tJnluckily,  as  Kate  thought,  Constance  and  her  hus- 
band came  in  at  tlie  same  moment,  and  Lord  Somerville 
ended  his  speech — '  I  may  as  well  tell  you  that  nothing 
can  excel — not  to  say  equal,  Constance's  talents  for  mak- 
ing blinds  draw  up  rightly.' 

'  I  was  in  hopes  I  should  have  heard  of  something  less 
common-place,'  said  Constance,  '  some  perfection  better 
worth  lecturing  Kate  upon.' 

'  On  your  humility,  for  instance,'  said  Lord  Somer- 
ville ;  '  I  shall  begin  lecturing  on  punctuality  next  if 
Frances  does  not  appear — unless  she  has  become  like  the 
lady — was  not  she  at  Copseley,  Herbert,  who  thought  it 
was  not  genteel  to  come  in  time  ? ' 

'  No,  I  don't  own  to  that  lady,'  said  Lord  Herbert, 
'  I  believe  she  is  mythical,  and  fastened  on  to  every  one 
who  has  a  parish.' 

'  No,  we  must  not  have  Copseley  abused  now,'  said 
Constance. 

'  We  keep  that  for  Dearport,'  said  Lord  Somerville ; 
Constance  shook  her  head,  and  looked  determined. 

'  Aye ! '  said  Lord  Somerville,  '  I  know  how  it  will 
be.  Every  letter  will  represent  Dearport  as  an  earthly 
paradise — ' 

'  A  maritime  one,'  suggested  his  brother. 

'  Each  letter  will  enhance  its  charms  and  beauties  till 
I  positively  am  taken  in  to  believe  in  them,  and  come 


240  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

and  see  you — I  sliall  find  an  atmospliere  of  mud  and  fish; 
have  to  pick  my  way  on  tiptoe  through  a  pavement  of 
hake's  heads  and  scatc's  tails,  diversified  with  periwinkles 
and  cockle-shells ;  find  my  Lord  and  my  Lady  Herbert 
teaching  eight  sailors  in  a  drawing-room,  twelve  feet 
square,  and  go  away  persuaded  by  Constance's  eloquence, 
contrary  to  every  one  of  my  own  senses,  to  believe  and 
pronounce  it  paradise  complete.' 

Kate  looked  from  one  to  the  other  in  a  puzzle,  whe- 
ther it  was  really  likely  to  be  so  very  disagreeable  at 
Dearport,  and  whether  Lord  Somerville  so  very  much 
disapproved  of  their  going  there,  but  they  only  laughed, 
and  soon  all  set  off  to  Church. 

After  service  Lord  Somerville  and  his  sister  walked 
with  the  others  to  the  Willoughbys'  door.  There,  Lord 
Herbert  said  he  should  go  on  with  them  to  call  upon^his 
aunt,  and  return  long  before  dinner.  Constance  and  Kate 
entered  together,  Kate  wondering  if  her  sister  felt  as  she 
did  on  the  like  introduction. 

In  a  few  seconds  Constance  was  receiving  such  an  em- 
brace and  affectionate  greeting  as  had  met  her  sisters 
eighteen  mouths  ago.  Sir  Francis  was  a  good  deal  more 
ceremonious  with  Lady  Herbert,  but  Edwin,  the  only  one 
of  the  children  in  the  room,  gave  no  space  for  talking. 
His  sister's  sweet  face  enchanted  him,  as  he  proved  by 
thrusting  his  toys  before  her,  and  making  them  unmerci- 
fully perform  their  several  varieties  of  squeak.  Emmeline 
was  not  yet  come  home,  and  every  one  repeated  how  dis- 
appointed she  would  be  to  have  missed  her  sister. 

After  sitting  for  some  little  time,  and  exchanging 
many  affectionate  words  with  her  mother,  Constance  begged 
to  see  the  other  children.  '  I'll  go  and  fetch  Janet  and 
Cecilia,'  said  Kate. 

*  Do  let  me  come  too,  I  should  like  to  visit  little  Janet 
in  her  school-room ;  I  want  to  see  Miss  Townsend  too,' 
said  Constance,  springing  up. 

'  0  come,  come,  do,  Cecilia  is  such  a  darling  ! '  said 
Kate. 

'  Do  you  like  to  go,  my  dear  ?  '  said  Lady  "Willoughby. 
*  It  is  up  so  many  stairs,  and  we  can  send  for  the  children ; 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  241 

Janet  was  here  just  now,  but  Edwin  was  making  such  a 
noise  that  we  sent  her  away.' 

Constance  was  only  the  more  bent  on  going  ;  and  with 
Edwin  holding  her  hand,  she  skipped  lightly  up  before 
Kate,  and  was  presently  in  the  school-room,  where  Janet 
sat  by  Miss  Townsend,  in  a  moody  state. 

'  How  do  you  do,  Miss  Townsend  ?  '  began  Constance 
at  once,  shaking  her  hand  with  the  cordiality  of  a  renewal 
of  their  old  acquaintance,  which  brought  a  glow  into  the 
little  governess's  cheeks.  '  And  Janet,  little  Janet ' — 
she  put  her  arms  round  her  and  kissed  her — '  what,  have 
you  not  a  word  for  sister  Constance  ?  ' 

Janet  was  certainly  gratified,  but  jealousy,  and  the 
feeling  of  injustice  were  upon  her,  and  she  stood,  with 
drooping  head,  in  something  between  shyness  and  suUen- 
ness,  by  no  means  mended  by  the  triumphant  exclamation 
— '  Here  is  the  dear  little  woman  !  Here,  come  to  sister 
Constance  ! '  with  which  Kate  proudly  brought  the  beau- 
tiful little  Cecilia  into  the  room,  and  held  her  up  for  ad- 
miration. 

Constance  was  delighted  with  her,  kissed  her,  and 
fondled  her,  but  soon  turned  again  to  talk  to  Miss  Towns- 
end  and  Janet,  though  without  much  success,  for  frank 
and  free  as  Constance  was,  there  was  no  subduing  the 
governess's  shy  frightened  manner,  or  making  Janet  look 
up.  Kate  began  to  be  impatient,  '  Come,  Janet,  are  you 
cross  ?  Why  can't  you  do  like  the  others,  when  Con- 
stance is  so  kind  to  you  1  See,  Edwin  and  Cecilia  are 
not  so  silly.' 

This  was  the  very  thing  to  make  it  worse,  and  Kate 
next  turned  to  Miss  Townsend,  saying,  '  Is  she  naughty?' 

Miss  Townsend  looked  hurt,  and  shook  her  head. 

'  We  will  not  torment  her  any  more,'  said  Constance. 
'  We  will  be  better  acquainted  one  day,  Janet,  woman.' 

Patting  her  on  the  head,  Constance  left  them,  and 
begged  to  come  and  take  off  her  bonnet  in  her  sister's 
room.     '  It  would  be  so  natural,'  she  said  merrily. 

'  Oh !  do,  dear  Constance,'  then,  as  soon  as  they  were 
out  of  the  school-room.  '  I  never  saw  such  a  child  as 
11 


242  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

that  Janet !  Sho  is  always  sulky,  and  I  do  believe  Miss 
Townsend  encourages  her.' 

'  I  hope  not,'  said  Constance.  '  Poor  child  !  Well, 
Cecilia  is  a  beauty  !  What  curls  !  So  this  is  your  room, 
Katie.  0  how  glad  I  am  to  see  that  dear  old  sandal- 
wood box  again.  It  is  so  like  old  times !  And  all  your 
old  curiosities  just  the  same.  Now  if  Emmie  would  but 
come  back  we  should  feel  quite  like  ourselves,  when  we 
three  were  alone  in  the  world.  Is  not  it  strange  to  recol- 
lect that  time,  Katie  ?  ' 

*  I  do  wish  Emmie  would  come  ! '  was  Kate's  answer. 
'  I  cannot  think  what  she  can  be  doing.' 

'  Do  you  see  much  of  the  Aliens  ?  '  said  Constance. 

'  More  than  of  any  one  else  ;  Susan  is  so  fond  of 
Emmie.' 

'  Is  she  ?  That  was  not  so  at  school.  Is  Susan 
altered  ? '     . 

'  Not  much,'  said  Kate.  '  She  seeks  us  out  more  than 
we  seek  her.  It  sometimes  seems  to  me  quite  unnatural 
that  Emmie  should  have  a  friend  all  to  herself 

Constance  glanced  a  little  anxiously  at  Kate,  but 
there  was  no  time  for  more,  for  at  that  very  moment  the 
door  was  slowly  opened,  and  there  entered,  with  the 
languid  step  of  one  weary  with  an  unsatisfactory  day, 
Emmeline  herself  One  moment  she  stood  transfixed, 
then,  with  a  little  cry  on  each  side,  she  and  Constance 
were  in  each  other's  arms,  Kate  laughing,  and  saying  she 
supposed  Emmie  had  not  been  into  the  drawing-room  to 
hear  the  news. 

'  No,  indeed,  I  have  not.     Is  Herbert  there  ?  ' 

'  No,  he  is  coming  to  dinner.  He  came  to  fetch  me 
just  as  you  were  gone.' 

'  Then  it  was  he  that  I  saw.  I  could  not  believe  it. 
And  is  he  well  ? ' 

'  Quite,  quite  well,'  said  Constance,  '  better  than  I  ever 
knew  him.  O,  now  it  is  so  very  nice !  We  came  last 
night — -landed  at  eleven  o'clock,  and  the  first  thing  after 
breakfast  he  went  to  look  for  you  all.' 

'  To  think  of  my  being  out  of  the  way  ! '  said  Emme- 
line,    '  I  could  not  get  away  sooner ;  wo  came  home  late, 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  248- 

then  tLere  was  luncheon,  and  people  coming  in,  but  if  I 
had  only  known. — Dear,  dear  Constance,  how  like  your- 
self you  look  !  Well,  it  was  most  beautiful.  0  such  a 
sermon !  And  that  magnificent  service — how  you  must 
have  enjoyed  it  abroad,  Constance  ! ' 

'  I  never  was  there  through  the  service,'  said  Con- 
stance. 

'  What  ! '  exclaimed  Emmeline,  '  Susan  has  been  say- 
ing it  is  the  only  one  thing  she  envies  you  for  being  at 
Rome.  Surely  you  did  not  think  it  wrong.  So  many  good 
people  do  it.' 

'  No,  I  would  not  say  it  was  wrong,'  said  Constance, 
'  but  we  had  a  feeling  against  treating  it  as  a  sight.  Be- 
sides, when  I  was  able  to  leave  Herbert  for  a  little  while, 
I  could  not  have  spared  once  missing  our  English  service, 
when  I  could  have  it  to  join  in.' 

'  You  were  not  often  at  places  without  an  English 
congregation  ? '  said  Kate. 

'  No,  Herbert  could  not  bear  that  we  should.  But 
ought  we  to  stay  up  any  longer  away  from  mamma  ?  ' 

'  It  is  so  comfortable  ! '  said  Kate. 

But  Emmeline  was  not  so  willing  to  stay.  She  had 
an  uncomfortable  abashed  feeling,  and  a  dread  of  what 
Constance  might  say  next,  which  made  her  restlessly  glad 
to  get  down  stairs.  While  Constance  was  engaged  with 
her  mother,  she  drew  Kate  apart,  and  begged  to  know 
what  Herbert  had  said,  and  how  he  had  looked,  on  hear- 
ing where  she  was  gone.  '  He  seemed  surprised,'  said 
Kate,  '  but  he  said  nothing.  But,  Emmie  dear,  only 
think,  there  is  to  be  a  Confirmation  at  Dearport,  and  he 
will  bring  us  in  for  it,  and  examine  us  himself  after  all.' 

'  Oh !  '  said  Emmeline,  but  without  any  tone  of 
lacrity. 

Lord  Herbert  arrived,  and  Emmeline  met  him  with 
a  shade  of  constraint.  If  he  was  displeased,  he  did  not 
by  any  means  intend  to  manifest  it,  yet  unconsciously 
perhaps  he  talked  less  to  her  that  evening  than  he  did  to 
Kate,  and  certainly  she  did  not  address  him  with  the 
same  ease  and  readiness,  but  this  might  be  owing  to  her 
not  having  spent  the  day  with  him  in  the  free  atmosphere 


244  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

of  Lord  Liddcsd ale's  house.  Few  persons  ever  were  more 
agreeable  than  Lord  Herbert.  He  had  not  the  odd,  sar- 
castic, unexpected  ways  of  his  brother,  and  did  not  cause 
his  cleverness  to  be  so  much  perceived ;  his  manner  was 
very  simple,  but  had  a  stamp  of  high  birth  and  breeding, 
which  gave  every  act  of  attention  and  good-nature  an  air 
of  refined  courtesy. 

Lady  Willoughby  was  completely  enchanted  with  her 
son-in-law,,  and  when  the  ladies  went  up  after  dinner,  she 
made  Constance  listen  to  her  raptures,  which  Constance 
heard  with  very  pretty  gratified  blushes,  pleased,  in  her 
turn,  to  talk  over  his  wonderful  recovery,  and  to  say  again 
and  again  how  very  kind  Lord  Somerville  had  been. 

The  girls  began  to  hope  they  should  hear  no  more  of 
'  poor  Constance.'  Next  Lady  "Willoughby  gave  Con- 
stance a  long  lecture  on  the  necessity  of  his  being  pru- 
dent, avoiding  cold,  and  not  exerting  his  voice,  to  which 
she  listened  with  ready  acquiescence,  saying  they  meant 
to  be  very  carefuh 

But  how  was  poor  Lady  Willoughby  shocked  when  it 
was  disclosed  that  they  meant  to  walk  home !  Sir  Francis 
was  for  ringing  the  bell,  and  ordering  the  carriage,  but 
Constance  earnestly  begged  him  not  to  think  of  it.  '  Lord 
Liddesdale  would  have  sent  for  us,  but  we  thought  we 
should  enjoy  the  walk,  pray  don't.' 

Up-stairs  she  ran,  to  fetch  her  bonnet,  followed  by  her 
sisters,  while  her  mother  in  dismay  silently  wondered 
where  was  all  the  care  she  talked  of,  and  Sir  Francis 
mentally  despised  Lord  Liddesdale,  for  not  sending  out 
his  carriage  on  a  Sunday.  In  a  minute  she  came  down, 
with  a  great  worsted  comforter,  which  she  held  up  to  her 
husband. 

'  This  !  '  exclaimed  he.  '  My  dear  Constance  !  Waa 
there  ever  woman  born  out  of  India  who  would  have  the 
conscience  to  propose  to  an  unfortunate  man  to  mufifle 
himself  in  such  a  thing  in  the  heart  of  June  ?  AVhy  how 
did  you  bring  it  here  ?  ' 

'  In  my  pocket,'  said  Constance.    '  Now  do,  Herbert?' 

'  That  pocket  of  hers !  Do  you  know  it,  Kate  ? 
Everything  comes  out  of  that  pocket,  and  we  suspect  it 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  245 

of  being  uncanny.  The  last  thing  was  a  lucifer  match- 
box, candle  and  all.  It  was  not  lighted — I  will  say  that 
for  her.' 

'  Why,  your  brother  left  it  behind  him  on  the  table  at 
Brussels,  and  I  only  saw  it  the  last  moment,'  said  Con- 
stance. '  So  what  else  could  I  "do  with  it  ?  But  what  are 
you  going  to  do  with  that  poor  thing,  Herbert  ?  I  wish 
you  would  be  a  wise  man,  and  put  it  on.' 

He  rolled  it  up  in  a  ball,  and  pretended  to  throw  it 
away,  he  waved  it  high  in  air  above  her  reach,  but  at  last, 
with  various  comical  faces  of  resignation,  he  let  her  put  it 
round  his  neck,  and  only  rebelled  so  far  as  not  to  let  her 
bury  his  chin  in  it,  then  arranging  to  meet  early  to-mor- 
row, they  wished  good-night,  and  walked  away,  leaving 
Lady  Willoughby  persuaded  that  he  was  the  most  im- 
prudent man  in  the  world,  and  Emmeline  thinking  that 
there  were  more  things  in  Lord  and  Lady  Herbert  Somer- 
ville  than  were  dreamt  of  in  her  mother's  philosophy. 
Kate  was  supremely  happy,  Emmeline  trying  to  think 
herself  so. 

Lord  Herbert  and  his  wife  walked  on  in  the  gaslight. 
a  little  while  without  speaking.  It  had  been  the  first 
sight  of  her  family,  and  neither  liked  to  own  the  impression, 
or  to  ask  the  other's.  He  was  the  first  to  begin.  *  How 
Kate  is  grown  and  improved  ! ' 

'  0,  is  not  she  ? '  responded  Constance  with  delight. 
'  She  has  such  a  very  sweet  face — as  she  always  had,  but 
now  it  is  something  more.' 

'And  Emmie?' 

'  I  could  not  make  Emmie  out.  I  did  not  see  nearly 
so  much  of  her,  but  I  thought  she  was  not  looking  well.' 

'  Yes,  there  was  a  fagged  look,  as  if  she  was  over- 
doing every  thing,  and  I  fancied  there  was  a  constraint 
about  her.' 

'  That  I  thought  was  from  anxiety  as  to  what  you 
might  be  thinking  of  her  expedition  this  morning.' 

*  Did  you  hear  what  she  thought  of  it  ?  ' 

*  Not  much,  she  was  in  haste  to  go  down  stairs,  but 
I  am  afraid  her  imagination  has  been  a  good  deal  im- 
pressed.    She  asked  me  whether  I  thought  it  wrong  to 


246  THE    CASTLE   BUILDERS. 

have  gone.  I  told  her  how  we  had  felt  on  the  matter, 
and  that  silenced  her.  It  was  no  plan  of  her  own  devis- 
ing, you  know.' 

'  Kate  was  careful  to  tell  me  that.' 

'  I  don't  understand  it,'  said  Constance,  '  those  two 
used  to  be  so  entirely  one  in  every  thing,  and  I  doubt 
whether  it  is  quite  the  same  now.  I  don't  like  to  hear 
of  the  intimacy  with  the  Aliens.  Susan  was  no  favourite 
of  mine  at  school,  and  her  family  did  not  seem  to  be  quite 
what  one  would  wish.' 

*  Well,  we  will  try  to  have  them  with  us.'  said  Lord 
Herbert ;  '  and,  as  to  Kate,  I  am  sure  she  is  all  right.  I 
should  guess  that  she  had  been  making  a  stand  against 
Emmie's  expedition  this  morning.' 

'  Kate  make  a  stand  against  Emmie  !  Things  must 
be  changed  indeed,  for  it  to  come  *i  that.  But  you  did 
not  see  the  little  ones,  did  you?  ' 

'  Only  the  boy.  Sir  Francis  was  relaying  with  him  when 
I  came  in.     He  is  a  fine  fellow.' 

'  I  wish  you  had  seen  Janet,  J  wanted  to  know  what 
you  would  think  of  her.' 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  24V 


CHAPTEU  XIX. 


The  hollowness  of  human  things 

The  wear  of  feverish  thought, 
Each  to  the  heart  a  shadow  brings 

From  tombs  of  mem'ry  brought ; 
A  broken  cistern  ev'ry  where 

Proves  nature's  purest  joy ; 
Though  fresh  the  draught  imagined  there, 

How  soon  we  taste  alloy. 

E.  MONTGOMEKY. 


In  the  course  of  the  next  fortnigtit  the  sisters  saw  the 
Somerville  party  every  day,  and  Lady  Willoughby  was 
completely  bewildered  by  the  ways  of  her  daughter  and 
son-in-law. 

They  used  to  walk  in  almost  every  morning,  and,  after 
a  short  stay,  set  off  together  on  foot.  And  it  would  tran- 
spire that  their  business  was  seeing  Churches,  orphan 
asylums  aud  schools,  visiting  model  lodging-houses,  &c. 
In  the  afternoon  Constance  and  Lady  Frances  would  call 
to  see  if  the  girls  could  come  with  them  in  the  carriage, 
and  in  the  evening  it  was  generally  contrived  that  the 
three  sisters  should  meet. 

Kate  was  less  involved  in  her  mother's  engagements 
than  Emmeline,  and  was  able  to  be  more  with  Constance. 
She  thus  knew  all  the  arrangements  about  Dearport ;  how 
it  was  said  to  have  one  pretty  region,  and  one  very 
wretched,  and  how  the  beautiful  grounds  of  Bayhurst  al- 
most bordered  on  the  town,  and  they  had  permission  from 
the  non- resident  proprietor  to  use  them  as  they  pleased, 


248  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

which  Lord  Somerville  said  Constance  would  interpret 
into  giving  routs  for  school  children.  The  Parsonage  was 
in  the  worst  part  of  the  town,  where  it  was  said  that  '  no- 
body could  live; '  however,  Lord  Herbert  meant  to  judge 
for  himself,  for  he  was  going  to  take  possession  of  his  liv- 
ing, and  stay  there  about  ten  days  which  time  Constance 
was  to  spend  with  her  mother. 

Erameline  and  Kate  were  enchanted ;  all  must  be  well 
when  they  had  Constance  to  themselves ;  her,  who  had, 
from  the  time  the  forlorn  little  girls  were  sent  from  their 
Indian  home,  been  at  once  motherly  nurse,  elder  sister, 
playfellow,  and  guide.  'Dearest  Constance!'  said  Em- 
meline,  'she  has  always  been  more  to  us  than  the  whole 
world  besides.     There  is  joy  in  her  very  presence.' 

Constance  arrived,  but  they  were  soon  obliged  to  feel 
that  she  was  no  longer  their  exclusive  right.  All  the 
evening  she  was  taken  up  with  Lady  Willoughby's  low, 
sleepy  murmurs,  and  afterwards  by  the  whole  series  of 
Sir  Francis's  Indian  stories.  Emmeline  could  have  no 
talk  with  her  till  bed-time,  when  she  invited  the  two  to 
have  a  nice  long  coze  in  her  room.  They  sat  hearing  the 
history  that  they  had  but  half  entered  into,  from  Con- 
stance's letters,  the  whole  account  of  Lord  Herbert's  ill- 
ness, but  Constance  was  still  the  careful  '  old  mother ' 
that  she  used  in  former  days  to  be  called,  and  would  not 
let  Emmeline's  pale  cheeks  and  heavy  eyelids  remain  long 
absent  from  the  pillow,  especially  when  the  eyes  and  cheeks 
both  began  to  brighten  with  the  eagerness  of  talking,  and 
in  vain  Emmeline  declared  that  the  only  time  she  never 
was  tired  was  after  midnight. 

The  hope  of  a  morning  over  Constance's  sketches  made 
Emmeline  rise  in  good  spirits,  but  here  was  fresh  annoy- 
ance. The  breakfast  became  more  interminable  than  ever, 
for  Sir  Francis  was  so  pleased  with  Lady  Herbert's  bright 
attention  that  he  did  not  spare  her  one  of  his  political 
comments  over  the  newspaper.  Afterwards  Emmeline 
was  about  to  claim  her  sister,  when  Constance  recollected 
that  she  had  not  been  to  the  school-room,  and  it  would  be 
unkind  not  to  visit  poor  Miss  Townsend. 

She  found  the  little  governess  in  an  agitation  of  tears 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  J>49 

and  smiles,  and  as  Lord  Somerville  used  to  say  of  her, 
that  no  one  could  be  ten  minutes  with  lier,  without 
making  her  a  confidant,  she  soon  discovered  that  Miss 
Townsend's  sailor  brother  was  just  come  home  from  a 
five  years'  voyage,  and  that  she  was  divided  between 
rejoicing  at  his  safety,  and  despair  at  not  being  able  to 
go  to  see  him. 

Straightway  Constance  went  to  her  mother,  telling 
the  news  so  eagerly,  and  so  much  as  if  it  concerned 
herself,  that  Lady  Willoughby  lifted  up  her  eyelids  in 
amazement.     '  Well  my  dear  ! ' 

'  It  is  such  an  excellent  time,'  said  Constance  ;  '  now 
that  I  am  here,  you  can  spare  her  so  much  better.' 

'  Spare  her,  my  dear  ?  Sir  Francis  would  not  think  of 
it ;  there  are  all  the  children  !  ' 

'  0,  we  will  take  care  of  them,  mamma;  we  can  man- 
age very  well ;  and  it  will  be  so  pleasant  to  have  them  all 
to  ourselves.  It  is  just  what  I  wanted,  to  get  acquainted 
with  Janet.  And  poor  Miss  Towusend  is  in  such  a 
state.' 

'  Well,  my  dear,  poor  thing,  I  don't  know  what  Sir 
Francis  would  think — but,  my  love,  they  will  surely  be 
too  much  for  you.' 

^  Nothing  is  too  much  for  me,  mamma,'  said  Constance, 
laughingly.  *Do,  for  a  treat  to  me,  let  me  have  Janet 
and  Edwin  for  this  one  week ! ' 

'  My  dear,  you  are  so  energetic  I  But  Sir  Francis 
must  decide — I  can't  tell.' 

'  He  is  at  home,  I  think,'  said  Constance  ;  '  I'll  run 
and  see  if  he  is  in  the  drawing-room.' 

With  consternation  did  Emmeline  and  Kate  hear 
Constance  propounding  her  scheme.  They  were  too 
good-natured  to  start  any  objection,  for  they  felt  it  would 
be  shameful  to  prevent  the  poor  little  woman  from  going 
home  to  see  her  brother ;  but  Emmeline  could  not  help 
wishing  that  Sir  Francis  would  say  no  ;  and,  when  she 
heard  him  acceding,  she  mentally  declared  that  peace  was 
at  an  end,  and  it  was  folly  to  expect  that  anything  would 
turn  out  well  with  her — a  being  doomed  to  disappoint- 
ment. 

11* 


250  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

Another  moment,  and  Constance  was  in  the  school 
room;  the  permission  was  so  far  beyond  all  JMiss 
Townsend's  most  daring  hopes,  that  she  burst  into  tears 
of  joy,  and  was  unable  to  utter  her  usual  '  so  very 
kind.' 

'  I'm  so  glad,'  said  Constance,  heartily.  '  Now,  can 
we  help  you  ?  Shall  Janet  finish  her  reading  to  me  ?  it 
would  be  a  pity  for  you  to  lose  any  time.' 

'  Thank  you,  oh !  thank  you !  '  and  Miss  Townsend, 
entirely  overcome,  retreated,  while  Janet  read  straight 
on.  Constance  sat  considering,  and  presently  sprung 
up,  and  knocked  at  Miss  Townsend's  door,  to  say  that 
she  was  going  out  with  Lady  Frances,  and  to  offer  to 
set  her  down.  The  thanks  were  more  nervous  and 
alarmed  than  ever,  and  it  was  hard  to  distinguish  whether 
she  was  more  pleased  or  confused ;  but  the  matter  was 
settled,  and  Constance  again  sat  down,  while  Janet 
went  on  reading  her  small  history  in  a  monotonous 
voice ;  until  having  finished  the  chapter,  she  left  off 
as  if  she  had  been  a  machine  come  to  the  end  of  its  wind- 
ing up,  and  sat  looking  straight  before  her  in  the  same 
position. 

'  Well,  Janet,  what  do  you  like  to  do  next  ?  ' 

'  I  should  like  to  go  to  Miss  Townsend.' 

'  Are  you  sure  you  would  not  interrupt  her,  when  she 
wants  to  pack  up  ?  ' 

Janet  sat  up  rigidly  without  changing  countenance. 

'  You  will  miss  her  very  much,  shan't  you  dear  ? ' 
said  Constance,  kindly ;  '  but  you  know  it  will  only  be 
for  a  week,  and  we  will  see  what  sister  can  do  for  you.' 

'  A  week  is  a  very  long  time  ! '  said  Janet. 

When  Kate  came  to  bring  notice  that  Lord  Liddes- 
dale  was  in  the  drawing-room,  she  found  Janet  on  Con- 
stance's knee,  heli3ing  her  to  write  to  brother  Herbert, 
that  they  were  trying  to  make  up  to  each  other  for  his 
absence  and  Miss  Townsend's. 

Constance  thought  the  expedition  would  be  no  loss 
to  her  sisters,  but  Emmeline  was  annoyed  at  losing  her 
for  the  afternoon,  after  the  whole  morning  had  been  en- 
grossed by  other  people.     Lady  Frances,  when  she  came 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  251 

to  take  Constance  up,  was  of  course  glad  to  be  of  service 
to  the  governess,  and  saying  there  was  one  place  more, 
asked  who  would  come  with  them. 

'  Suppose  we  take  Janet,'  said  Constance.  '  She 
would  have  the  pleasure  of  being  with  Miss  Townsend  to 
the  last.' 

'  My  dear,'  Lady  Willoughby  interposed,  '  you  will 
crowd  Lady  Frances  to  death  !  ' 

'  No  thank  you,'  said  Frances,  laughing.  '  She  knows 
how  I  pine  alone  in  that  great  carriage.  Pray  let  us  have 
the  little  one.' 

Edwin  could  hardly  believe  that  sister  was  going 
to  take  Janet  out  with  him,  and  Janet's  tone  of  triumph 
over  him  was  not  agreeable  ;  but  Constance  held  her 
opinion  in  suspense,  especially  when  Miss  Townsend 
took  courage  to  say,  in  reply  to  her  inquiries  as  to 
the  management  of  the  children,  '  Pray  do  not  think 
Janet  sullen.  I  know  the  Miss  Berners  think  so ; 
and  to  strangers,  I  believe,  she  is  not  an  attractive  child, 
but  she  lives  so  much  in  her  affections,  poor  little 
thing.' 

There  was  a  brightening  sympathy  in  Constance  that 
enlivened  all  she  approached,  and  she  and  Frances  had 
made  Janet  so  happy  by  the  time  they  came  to  Miss 
Townsend's  home,  that  the  meek  governess  was  almost 
hurt  to  find  that  her  charge  could  part  with  her  so  easily, 
not  knowing  that  the  secret  of  this  happiness  was  that 
she  was  to  work  her  a  bag  to  surprise  her  with  on  her 
return,  and  was  impatient  to  get  rid  of  her  that  she  might 
set  about  it.  ^ 

Constance  is  at  the  beck  of  every  one  except 
ourselves,  who  belong  to  her  most,'  sighed  Emmeline, 
as  she  saw  the  three  children  enjoying  a  game  of  genuine 
active  play  with  her.  And  after  dinner  again,  Em-' 
meline  felt  as  if  she  was  injured,  when  Constance  sat 
contentedly  listening  to  her  mother,  who  was  trying  to 
make  her  very  anxious  and  unhappy  at  trusting  dear 
Lord  Herbert  to  take  care  of  his  own  health,  repeating 
the  assurance  that  he  looked  so  very  delicate,  and 
talking  of  damp  beds,  and  new   houses,   and   open  win- 


252  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

dows  on  summer  evenings.  But  Constance  would  not 
be  alarmed  ;  she  said  she  did  not  think  Herbert  was 
inclined  to  be  imprudent;  it  was  very  warm  weather, 
and  he  was  in  no  damp  new  house,  but  staying  with  the 
Curate  of  the  new  Chapel  in  the  upper  part  of  the 
town. 

Then  came  some  dreadful  discoveries  on  poor  Lady 
Willoughby.  They  had  decided  on  living  in  the  old 
Parsonage,  which  sh^  knew  was  in  the  vulgar  part  of  the 
town,  though  Constance  mercifully  spared  her  the  de- 
scription in  Herbert's  letter.  '  The  last  occupants,'  he 
said,  '  must  have  lived  on  nothing  but  apples,  to  judge 
by  the  scent ;  the  two  parlours  are  not  much  more  than 
Jack's  twelve  foot  square,  and  I  can  touch  the  ceiling. 
Nevertheless  it  is  in  the  part  of  the  parish  where  I  should 
most  like  to  be,  and  I  believe  you  will  make  it  habitable, 
so  I  have  written  to  Mr.  Forester  to  despatch  our  goods 
from  Copseley.' 

Next  Lady  Willoughby  was  shocked  by  finding  that 
neither  carriage,  horse,  nor  man,  were  in  their  list 
of  necessaries,  and  she  was  roused  to  commiseration. 
'  Surely,  my  dear,  I  thought  you  had  a  handsome 
income.' 

'  Yes,  mamma,  we  are  very  well  off.' 

'  I  should  like,  if  it  is  not  intruding,  to  know  what 
you  call  very  well  off,  my  dear.' 

*  Let  me  see ! '  said  Constance.  '  Yes,  I  know. 
Herbert  told  me  it  was  about  £4,000  a  year  of  our 
own.' 

'  My  dear  ! '  Lady  Willoughby  opened  her  eyes. 
'  Why,  with  such  a  fortune  you  might  live  in  the  first 
style  !  you  might  do  anything  !  Something  is  due  from 
you,  Constance,  indeed  it  is.' 

'Yes,  indeed,'  said  Constance,  '  it  is  such  a  sadly 
destitute  place,  and  wants  so  much  to  be  done  for  it.' 

'  I  dare  say,  my  dear,'  said  Lady  Willoughby.  '  I  am 
sure  you  will  do  a  great  deal  of  good,  but  you  know  your 
position  requires  something.' 

'Indeed  it  does,'  said  Constance,  earnestly;  'you 
can't  think  how  deeply  Herbert  feels  it.  That  is  the 
very  thing.' 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  253 

'  But,  my  dear,  with  your  rank  and  fortune,  to  live 
in  the  way  you  propose !  You  might  as  well  liav6» 
married  a  curate  ! ' 

'  Well,  mamma,  so  I  did,'  said  Constance,  playfully , 
'  indeed,  you  need  not  fear  we  are  going  to  do  anything 
odd  or  strange ;  we  only  want  to  live  quietly  and  do  our 
work,  and  make  our  means  go  as  far  as  they  will.' 

Lady  Willoughby  observed,  while  taking  her  other 
daughters  to  a  party  that  night,  '  She  was  afraid  dear 
Lord  Herbert  was  very  odd  and  eccentric,  and  it  was 
very  sad  for  poor  Constance,  though  she  bore  it  so  sweetly. 
She  hoped  Lord  Liddesdale  would  interfere,' 

Constance,  in  spite  of  persuasions,  had  chosen  to  stay 
at  home,  to  write  to  Herbert,  and  was  glad  she  had  done 
so,  for  on  going  up  stairs,  she  heard  mournful  sounds, 
and  found  poor  little  Janet  in  bed,  in  Miss  Townsend's 
room,  in  an  agony  of  terror  at  the  loneliness  and  dark- 
ness. To  gather  her  up  in  her  arms,  and  carry  her  off 
to  her  own  bed,  was  the  work  of  a  few  moments ;  and 
the  delight  of  sleeping  in  sister's  room  was  almost  too 
great,  when  in  the  morning  Janet  found  her  ready  to 
wake  at  five,  and  tell  her  stories  till  it  was  time  to 
get  up. 

Emmeline  was  shocked  at  this  discovery,  and  more 
so  when  she  encountered  Janet's  crib  in  progress  into 
her  sister's  room,  telling  her  she  would  never  have  any 
peace,  and  there  was  nothing  so  bad  as  losing  her  morn- 
ing's sleep. 

'  You  owlet ! '  said  Constance  ;  '  awake  at  midnight, 
and  now — 

"  It  was  about  half  after  five, 
Her  usual  time  for  sleeping  I  " ' 

'  But,  Constance,  have  you  considered  ?  Telling  that 
child  stories  from  five  to  six  would  kill  me  for  the  whole 
day,  and  she  will  make  you  do  it  every  morning.' 

'  Oj  I  am  used  to  early  waking — Herbert's  cough 
always  used  to  get  worse  in  the  morning,  and  now  I  can't 
aleep  after  four  or  five.' 

'  Where  are  you  going  now?  '  said  Emmeline,  discon- 
solately. 


254  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

I  left  Janet  writing  her  copy,  and  I   must  go  and 
inspect  it.' 

'  We  never  speak  to  you  in  comfort ! '  sighed  Em- 
meline. 

'  No,  we  are  in  such  a  houseful ;  there  is  very  little 
time  for  our  own  talks,  but  I  look  forward  to  Dearport, 
as  soon  as  we  are  settled  there.  We  will  make  up  for 
every  thing  then.  How  charming  it  will  be,  quite  as  nice 
as  Copseley  ! ' 

'  Not  as  Copseley  without  a  garden.' 
My  garden,'  said  Constance  ;  '  that  will  be  : — 

"  Silver  bells 
And  cockle  shells, 
And  pretty  girls  all  in  a  row ;" ' 

and  she  went  away  singing. 

The  castle  of  having  Constance  with  them  being  as 
much  of  a  failure  as  the  rest,  Emmeline  continued  in  her 
habitual  state,  divided  between  languor  and  excitement. 
She  did  not  guess  how  anxiously  her  sister  was  watching 
her,  and  revolving  every  mode  of  doing  her  good. 

Constance  much  disliked  the  intimacy  with  the  Aliens. 
Of  Susan  they  saw  comparatively  little,  for  she  had  never 
at  school  liked  Constance  Berners,  one  of  the  steady 
girls,  who  were  almost  authorities,  and  always  discoun- 
tananced  pertness  and  giggling ;  and  now,  after  one  visit 
that  enabled  her  to  entertain  her  friends  with  a  descrip- 
tion of  Constance  Somerville  (as  she  called  her  when  out 
of  her  hearing),  she  preferred  keeping  her  distance.  It 
was  the  brother  who  was  most  in  the  way.  He  haunted 
the  drawing-room  perpetually  in  the  morning,  and  poor 
Constance  was  sick  of  his  conceited  dilettante  talk,  but 
she  could  not  escape,  for  it  was  the  time  of  day  when 
her  mother  never  appeared,  and  she  could  not  leave  her 
sisters  unchaperoned.  She  made  Janet  and  Edwin  bring 
their  books  down  stairs,  and  sat  trying  to  write  her 
letter,  and  attend  to  them,  through  all  his  self-corn 
placencies  '•  about  Raphaels,  Corregios,  and  stuif.'  by  no 
means  consoled  by  the  credit  she  was  earning,  when  he 
whispered  to   Emmeline  that  Lady  Herbert  Somerville 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  255 

was  sucli  a  cLarming  superior  person,  witli  so  much  tasto 
for  art. 

Heartily  glad  was  Constance  wlien  Lord  Liddesdale 
or  Ills  eldest  son  came  in,  as  tliey  did  almost  every  morn- 
ing. Their  coming  generally  occasioned  Henry  Allen's 
departure  ;  nothing  else  effected  it,  till  Lady  Willoughby 
came  down  dressed  for  her  drive. 

One  day  Constance,  while  hearing  who  her  sister's 
partners  at  a  dance  had  been,  could  not  help  exclaiming, 
'  Mr.  Allen  !  there  is  no  end  of  him  ! ' 

'  I  am  sure  I  don't  care  about  him,'  said  Emmelinc, 
petulantly ;  '  I  wish  he  would  not  be  always  coming  here,  I 
don't  want  him.' 

Thereupon  Emmeline  escaped,  and  craved  no  more 
confidential  conversations  with  her  sister ;  but  Constance 
took  her  own  measures,  and  succeeded  in  making  Lady 
Willoughby  take  alarm  ;  '  it  was  very  unlucky — Emmie 
might  do  so  much  better — it  was  so  bad  for  a  girl  to  get 
the  name  of  a  flirtation — did  Constance  think  there  was 
really  anything  in  it  ?  ' 

'I  dont  know  anything  about  such  things,'  said  Con- 
stance ;  '  but  I  believe  Emmeline  is  too  superior  to  be 
really  attracted  by  such  a  man.  She  would  never  think 
of  him  more  if  she  was  once  out  of  sight  of  him.' 

'  Very  likely,  my  dear,  and  we  shall  soon  be  leaving 
town.  I  have  known  many  things  go  off  in  that  way. 
How  fortunate  that  you  are  here,  with  nothing  to  do,  but 
to  sit  in  the  drawing-room  and  watch  them.  What  a 
comfort  it  is  to  have  a  married  daughter  !  ' 

Next  morning  Mr.  Allen  stood  over  the  piano  where 
Emmeline  and  Kate  were  practising;  Sir  Francis  was  im- 
parting scraps  of  newspaper  to  all  who  would  listen ; 
Janet  was  inserting  the  white  eyes  of  the  pink  stars  on 
her  bag;  Edwin  appealing  to  'sister'  continually  for  as- 
sistance in  the  puzzle  he  was  putting  up  ;  Janet  always 
answering  for  sister  that  she  must  not  be  interrupted, 
and  then  applying  to  her  on  her  own  account  the  next 
moment.  In  the  midst  of  this,  Constance  was  writing 
as  follows  : — 

*  If  twelve  foot  square  can  be  made  practicable  fca*  four  people, 


256  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

I  should  like  to  take  Emmie  and  Kate  home  with  us  at  once ;  I 
want  to  have  Emmie  in  a  calmer  region  than  this,  and  out  of 
the  reach  of  the  licro  of  the  K  C.  chapel.  The  girls  would 
enjoy  the  fun  of  a  scramble.  I  see  how  to  manage,  if  you  ap- 
prove.' 

Two  days  after  slie  heard  in  answer — 

'By  all  means  let  us  have  the  girls,  I  have  hardly  seen  them 
yet  It  will  be  great  gain  to  have  them  to  help  you  at  the  flitting. 
I  had  thought  of  asking  if  you  could  dispose  of  Redlands,  if  I 
told  him  to  -come  to  us  the  first  night,  but  I  had  rather  have  the 
sisters.' 

Constance  immediately  made  it  her  entreaty  that  her 
sisters  might  be  spared  to  her,  and  the  dread  of  Henry 
Allen  caused  her  mother  to  consent.  They  were  both 
pleased ;  Kate  always  happy  to  be  with  Constance,  and 
anxious  to  feel  herself  actually  commencing  her  course  of 
preparation,  and  Emmeline  kissing  her  sister  in  a  trans 
port,  and  saying  now  they  should  leave  the  hot  restless 
glare  of  the  world,  and  be  happy  together  in  peace,  all  in 
all  to  each  other,  with  no  one  to  interrupt. 

When,  a  couple  of  days  after,  Lord  Herbert  came 
back,  Emmeline  found  that  they  should  not  be  absolutely 
alone,  for  Constance  had  undertaken  to  manage  for  the 
accommodation  of  Mr.  Redlands,  and  he  was  to  be  at  the 
parsonage  till  he  could  choose  a  lodging ;  but  this  she 
could  very  well  endure,  as  there  was  no  fear  of  his  being 
much,  or  long  in  the  way. 

For  the  three  days  of  their  further  stay  in  London. 
Lord  and  Lady  Herbert  were  at  the  Willoughbys' ;  their 
family  coming,  the  last  evening,  to  meet  them  there  at 
dinner. 

Lady  Willoughby  took  the  opportunity  of  entering  a 
protest,  against  the  proceedings  at  Dearport.  She  asked 
Lord  Liddesdale,  in  confidence,  if  he  did  not  think  these 
dear  young  people  of  theirs  were  inclined  to  be  a  little 
over  enthusiastic. 

He  looked  amazed,  and  answered,  '  I  think  Constance 
may  be  trusted.     She  has  a  sensible  head  of  her  own.' 

'  I  can^t  tell,  dear  Constance  is  so  sweet-tempered,' 
said    Lady  Willoughby ;  '  But   surely  you   must   agree 


THE   CASTLF.   PTIIJ,DFP»,  257 

with  me,  that  it  is  a  pity  they  should  begin  on  the  scale 
they  purpose.' 

'  There  they  must  be  left  to  their  own  devices,'  said 
Lord  Liddesdale  ;  '  they  have  plenty  of  solid  good  sense, 
both  of  them,  and  as  they  think  right,  they  must  do. 
Constance  will  take  care  he  does  not  knock  himself  up  ;  ' 
then,  as  Lady  Willoughby  still  looked  distressed,  he 
added,  '  I  shall  soon  go  and  see  after  them,  and  take 
order  if  they  do  anything  foolish.' 

This  was  all  the  comfort  she  could  obtain,  though  if 
she  had  known  Lord  Liddesdale's  real  feeling  towards  his 
son,  she  would  have  little  trusted  to  him. 

She  did  not  prosper  even  so  well  with  Frances,  who 
tried  to  listen  demurely  to  her  fears,  and  not  succeeding, 
laughed,  and  said,  '  they  were  quite  satisfied,  papa  and  all, 
Herbert  would  never  do  anything  extravagant.'  And 
yet  poor  Lady  Willoughby  overheard  Lord  Somerville 
warning  Kate  that  some  day  he  should  find  '  twelve  foot 
square'  converted,  one  half  into  an  asylum  for  orphan 
gipseys,  the  other  for  pauper  lunatics. 

That  evening  was  a  sad  one  for  Janet,  who  had  such  a 
passionate  attachment  to  sister  Constance,  that  even  Miss 
Townsend's  return  did  not  comfort  her.  Her  only  satis- 
faction was  an  invitation  to  come  some  day  and  stay  at 
Dearport,  given  by  brother  Herbert  himself,  as  she  sat 
on  his  knee,  undecided  between  liking  him  for  his  own 
sake,  and  hating  him  for  being  tt  e  lawful  owner  of  sister 
Constance. 


258  THE   CASTLE   BUILDERS. 


CHAPTER  XX. 


The  crocus  hails  her  time  to  ccmc ; 
For  she  is  not  tlie  delicate 
Who  shrinks  from  aught  may  fit  her  state, 
But  wears  a  cheerful  hardy  brow — 
Glad  combatant  of  frost  and  snow ; 
Yet  prudent  arc  her  ways  the  while 
Both  warmth  and  tempests  to  foresee. 

S.  N.       ' 


Seldom  was  there  a  livelier  party  than  that  which  started 
for  Dearport,  and  as  they  left  the  London  atmosphere, 
and  glided  from  amongst  tall  roofs  and  overgrown  chim- 
neys into  the  fresh  dewy  air  of  the  country,  fields  spark- 
ling under  a  silvery  morning  veil,  and  meadows  newly  cut, 
or  fragrant  with  piles  of  hay,  even  Emmeline's  weary 
spirit  was  exhilarated,  and  she  joined  with  something  of 
her  former  animation  in  the  gaiety  of  her  companions. 

Yet  Emmeline  could  not  entirely  comprehend  that 
blitheness  and  light-heartedness  that  there  was  about  the 
Somervilles — that  capacity  for  laughing,  and  that  playful- 
ness, which  never  seemed  to  fail  them,  especially  Lord 
Herbert,  so  serious,  so  reverent,  and  self-denying  as  they 
were — it  seemed  to  her  a  contradiction  that  they  should 
be  so  merry.  She  only  knew  gaiety  as  forgetfulness,  a 
moment's  confusing  away  of  her  cravings  and  discontent. 

'  Be  silent,  vain  deluding  mirth,' 

was  a  line  she  could  understand,  but  she  did  not  see  the 
force  of  the  next, 

*  Till  in  thine  altered  voice  be  known. 
Somewhat  of  resignation's  tone.' 


THE    CASTLE   BUILDERS.  259 

nor  perceive  that  it  was  this  very  tone  that  made  their 
hearts  so  free  and  light,  and  their  cheerfulness  no  vain 
delusion.  Of  course,  natural  temperament  has  a  good 
deal  to  do  with  such  things,  and  Emmeline  was  naturally 
grave,  while  Lord  Herbert  was  one  of  those  whose  buoyant 
animal  spirits  seem  almost  a  compensation  for  frail  health  ; 
but  it  was  the  principle  within  that  had  sustained  that 
cheerfulness,  and  even  gaiety  of  heart,  through  long  and 
severe  suffering. 

They  were  at  the  Dearport  Station  by  twelve  o'clock, 
and  Lord  Herbert  recommended  their  walking  to  their 
new  abode.  '  There,'  said  he,  '  let  me  introduce  you  to 
the  great  maritime  paradise  of  Dearport,  forming,  you 
see,  an  amphitheatre  above  the  mouth  of  the  navigable 
river.' 

*  How  beautiful !  '  was  the  exclamation,  as  they  looked 
at  the  bay  beneath  them,  scattered  with  many  a  white- 
sailed  vessel,  and  enclosed  on  two  sides  by  curving  wooded 
banks,  one  of  which  was  thickly  studded  by  numerous 
houses  of  the  better  class,  while  the  other  showed  only 
park-like  glades  of  green  embosomed  in  trees. 

'  That  is  Bayhurst,  I  suppose,'  said  Constance.  '  How 
very  pretty  !  and  this  is  our  domain.' 

'  Yes ;  there  you  see  the  genteel  regions,'  said  Lord 
Herbert,  '  with  all  their  desirable  summer  residences,  and 
that  is  the  spire  of  their  Chapel.' 

'  That  lath  and  plaster  affair,'  said  Constance  ;  '  but 
where's  our  Church  ?  ' 

'  You  can't  see  it.  It  is  behind  that  elated  six-story 
monster  of  a  warehouse.' 

'  But  what  a  hill,  Herbert !  you  did  not  prepare  mo 
for  that,'  said  Constance,  dismayed  at  the  sharpness  of 
the  descent,  for  hills  always  betrayed  the  weakness  of  his 
chest. 

'  Better  to  have  it  at  one's  outset,'  he  said,  as  he  con- 
ducted them  down  a  narrowing  street,  the  pavement  of 
grey  shingly  stone,  the  gutters  plentifully  bestrewn  with 
remains  of  fish,  and  empty  periwinkles  and  whelks ;  the 
shops,  small  and  poor-looking,  with  a  nautical  air  about 
the  goods,  and  a  large  proportion  of  slovenly  women  and 


260  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

idle  meu  of  seafaring  aspect,  Emmeiino  and  Kate 
looked  at  each  other  in  consternation,  and  repeated  to 
themselves  their  mother's  compassionate,  '  Poor  Con- 
stance.' 

They  were  near  the  wharf,  when  Lord  Herbert  guided 
them  into  a  side  street,  narrow,  hut  more  quiet,  as  the 
great  warehouse  of  sea-stores  occupied  one  side,  and  a 
dead  wall  the  other,  and  there  was  a  wholesome  odour  of 
new  ropes.  Beyond  they  came  on  the  little  old  Church, 
its  yard  thick  with  grave- stones,  little  children  climbing 
about  them,  and  lines  of  clothes  hung  out  to  dry.  Lord 
Herbert  led  the  way  round  the  posts  that  permitted  an 
entrance  for  foot-passengers,  and  taking  a  paved  path  that 
traversed  the  church-yard  diagonally,  led  them  to  a 
moderate  sized  elderly  house,  separated  from  it  by  a  low 
wall  and  narrow  flagged  court.  The  girls,  as  they  walked 
behind,  saw  him  looking  in  his  wife's  face.  They  thought 
everything  so  wretched  that  they  could  not  bear  to  say  a 
word,  Constance  must  be  so  disappointed,  and  he  so  vexed 
for  her. 

'  How  very  nice  ! '  was  Constance's  exclamation.  '  You 
did  not  tell  me  what  a  respectable  old  place  it  is.  How 
could  you  doubt  about  its  being  habitable  ? ' 

*  I  don't  think  I  did  about  your  making  it  so.' 

'  It  is  capital  to  have  the  Church-yard  to  look  into 
instead  of  a  street.  The  Church  is  very  pretty  ;  that  is  a 
beautiful  window.' 

'  You  must  get  rid  of  all  those  festoons  of  linen,'  said 
Emmeline. 

'  And  the  dirty  children,'  said  Kate.  '  "What  little 
grubs ! ' 

'  Yes,  when  they  are  ordered  off  it  may  do,'  said 
Emmeline. 

'  What  a  fine  act  of  tyranny  you  want  to  begin  with  1 ' 
said  Herbert. 

'  Tyranny  !  '  said  Kate. 

'  If  you  had  one  room,  half  a  dozen  children,  and  all 
the  garments  of  the  family  to  be  washed  and  dried,  and 
no  open  space  but  this' — said  Constance. 

'  But  is  it  not  teaching  them  irreverence  ?  '  said  Em- 
meline. 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  261 

*  Another  question,'  said  Lord  Herbert,  '  entirely  dif- 
ferent from  the  a3sthetic  one  at  the  commencement.' 

'  Then  you  do  mean  to  get  rid  of  them  ?  ' 

'  The  present  point  is  whether  we  are  to  get  into  our 
house  or  not,'  said  Lord  Herbert,  for  they  had  all  this 
time  been  waiting  for  the  door  to  be  opened.  At  last 
Constance  tried  the  handle  ;  it  yielded,  and  they  entered 
the  narrowest  of  all  vestibules,  choked  with  packed  furni- 
ture, while  a  voice  was  heard  in  the  distance  of  some  one 
in  despair.  '  Bless  us  !  Come  already  !  I  never  thought 
they  would  ever  come  before  dinner-time ;  and  there's  not 
a  place  for  them  to  sit  down  in,  nor  nothing  for  them  to 
eat.' 

What  would  become  of  Constance,  thought  the  sisters ; 
but  Constance  laughed,  and  tripped  on,  guided  by  the 
voice,  and  her  kind  tones  were  heard  reassuring  the 
frightened  maid,  almost  apologising  for  taking  her  by 
surprise,  and  telling  her  she  was  sure  they  should  be  quite 
comfortable  by  the  evening ;  it  was  all  so  very  clean. 
Coming  back,  as  gay  as  ever,  she  took  the  lead  in  treating 
the  general  confusion  as  a  joke,  and  the  personal  exertions 
they  felt  bound  to  make,  a  frolic.  They  would  get  it  all 
set  to  rights  before  Mr.  Redlands  came  ;  and  what  fun  it 
would  be  !  so  much  better  than  walking  into  a  house  in 
apple-pie  order,  with  nothing  to  do.  Her  only  care  was 
lest  Emmeline  should  be  hungry  or  tired,  and  Lord  Her- 
bert undertook  to  go  and  cater  for  them. 

Meantime  Constance  ran  up  and  down,  admiring  and 
praising  every  thing,  and  giving  a  helping  and  settling 
hand  wherever  she  went,  decided  on  her  line  of  operations, 
and  declared  she  was  very  glad  to  have  come  now,  for  she 
could  settle  things  right  according  to  her  own  ideas  from 
the  first. 

Emmeline  was  forbidden  to  tire  herself,  and  the  only 
chair  that  was  forthcoming  was  applied  to  her  use,  in  spite 
of  all  her  resistance,  while,  on  Herbert's  return,  his  pro- 
vision of  gingerbread  and  penny  cakes  was  displayed  on 
the  dining-room  table,  on  which  the  party  not  only  dined^ 
but  sat.  They  were  all  very  hungry,  and  the  irregularity 
gave  it  the  zest  of  a  pic-nic.     Lord  Herbert  exclaimed, 


262  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

'  Who  would  not  bo  rector  of  a  town  where  the;y  make 
such  penny  cakes  !  '  and  the  merriment  rose  to  its  height 
when  Constance,  insisting  on  Emmeline's  having  her  daily 
dose  of  wine,  Lord  Herbert  cut  the  cords  of  the  hamper, 
and  then,  bringing  out  a  black  bottle,  held  it  up,  shook 
his  head  at  it,  and  said  in  a  quiet,  matter-of-fact  tone, 
*  You've  not  got  a  cork-screw  in  your  pocket,  Constance, 
my  dear.' 

To  his  surprise,  as  much  as  that  of  any  one,  Con- 
stance at  once  put  her  hand  in  her  pocket  and  brought 
out  one. 

They  laughed  till  they  were  weary,  Lord  Herbert  ex- 
claiming that  he  wished  '  Jack'  was  there,  and  Constance 
pretending  to  see  no  cause  for  being  derided,  for  she 
knew  Emmeline  must  have  her  wine,  and  she  thought  in 
a  new  house  there  would  be  sure  to  be  no  cork-screw. 
When  at  length  Lord  Herbert  had  been  reduced  to  leaning 
exhausted  against  the  wall,  sayiug  it  was  a  shame  of  her 
to  make  them  laugh  so  much  that  they  could  not  stand 
when  there  was  nothing  to  sit  upon,  the  wine  was  ad- 
ministered to  Emmeline  in  a  tea-cup,  and  the  rest,  being 
all  decided  water  drinkers,  were  supplied  from  the  pump. 
Then,  to  work  in  earnest,  though  Constance  obliged 
Emmeline  to  sit  still,  insultingly  giving  her  her  travelling 
book  to  finish  ;  and  she  was  really  tired  enough  not  to 
make  much  resistance.  The  other  three  carried  the  fur- 
niture and  settled  its  places  with  great  alacrity,  and  so 
much  merriment  and  laughing,  that  the  chief  recollection 
that  Kate  preserved  of  the  hard-working  flitting  to  Dear- 
port  was  of  a  party  of  pleasure,  unequalled,  unless  by  the 
llowthorpe  expedition  to  the  ruined  Castle,  or  the  tea- 
drinking  in  the  Tower  at  Herringsby.  Constance  was  so 
glad  to  see  her  CojDseley  possessions  once  more,  as  they 
emerged  from  their  cases,  and  there  were  so  many  recol- 
lections connected  with  them  that  they  could  hardly  make 
progress  for  talking  over  them,  except  Constance  herself, 
whose  briskness  and  readiness  could  work  effectively  in 
the  midst  of  any  amount  of  diversion  and  confusion. 

At  last  they  were  interrupted  by  a  message  that  the 
clerk  wanted  to  speak  to  his  Lordship,  and  Herbert  left 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  263 

them.  '  I  am  glad  he  is  gone,'  said  Constance,  '  we  shall 
get  on  all  the  faster  now  you  and  he  are  not  hindering 
each  other  with  talking  nonsense,  Miss  Kate.  I  expected 
every  moment  he  would  make  you  laugh  my  fine  buhl 
clock  to  death.' 

'  I  don't  think  you  would  have  cried  if  he  had,'  said 
Kate. 

'  I  should  not  mind  it  so  much  if  it  would  either  go 
right  or  go  away,'  said  Constance  ;  '  but  it  will  do  no  harm 
up  there  on  a  bracket.  Well,  really  ''  twelve  foot  square" 
is  beginning  to  look  decent.  I  think  we  may  begin  upon 
the  dining-room.' 

Lord  Herbert  came  in  to  say  that  the  clerk  had  told 
him  of  a  sick  man  in  need  of  being  visited,  and  the  ladies 
continued  their  arrangements  without  him,  till  by  half-past 
five  the  two  downstairs  rooms  looked  quite  pleasant  and 
comfortable.  The  apartments  consisted  of  these  two, 
besides  a  little  dark  den,  the  centre  of  the  apple  smell,  a 
wall  almost  blocking  the  window.  This  Constance  decided 
would  do  for  putting  books  into,  and  speaking  to  people, 
and  it  was  to  be  called  the  study,  though  as  to  Herbert's 
sitting  there  it  was  out  of  the  question.  At  the  back 
were  some  tolerable  offices,  and  there  were  four  rooms  on 
the  second  floor,  two  looking  into  the  church-yard,  and 
two  into  a  timber-yard  with  a  high  wall,  far  beyond  which 
rose  the  green  wooded  slope  of  Bayhurst. 

Constance,  thanking  Kate  for  all  her  help,  and  tri- 
umphing in  their  great  deeds,  shut  her  sisters  into  their 
room,  one  of  the  front  ones,  telling  them  to  rest  and  dress, 
and  they  entreated  her  to  do  the  same.  She  said,  '  yes, 
it  was  almost  time,'  and  shut  the  door. 

'  How  tired  she  must  be  !  '  said  Emmeline.  '  Are  not 
you,  Kate  ?  ' 

'  0,  no,  nothing  to  signify ! '  said  Kate,  '  only  with 
laughing.' 

'  I  wish  she  would  have  let  me  help,'  said  Emmeline, 
languidly  ;  '  but  it  is  all  for  nothing ;  they  never  can  stay 
here.     I  never  saw  such  a  horrid  place  in  my  life.' 

'  It  looks  much  better  for  what  we  did  to-day,'  said 
Kate,  '  and  I  am  sure  they  don't  seem  to  mind  it.' 


264  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

'  No,  that  is  all  Constance's  sweetness ;  but  I  am  sure 
she  must  feel  the  change  from  Copseley.' 

'  A  change,  indeed,'  said  Kate,  looking  out  at  the 
slatternly  women  who  had  come  to  take  in  their  clothes. 

'  Wretched,'  said  Emmeline.  '  Poor  Constance,  I  was 
so  sorry  for  her  all  the  time,  though  she  did  carry  it  off  so 
well.' 

'  Ah  !  there  is  Herbert  coming  home.  And,  oh  !  there 
she  is  with  her  bonnet  on.  She  is  meeting  him,  and  now 
they  are  gone  into  the  Church  together.  I  hope  mamma 
will  never  see  this  place  ! ' 

'  It  can't  last,'  said  Emmeline,  decidedly  ;  '  they  must 
go  and  live  in  the  upper  part  of  the  parish.  This  house 
is  not  even  second-rate ;  it  is  perfectly  miserable,  and  this 
dismal  northern  aspect.' 

They  found  Mr.  Redlands,  the  new  Curate,  in  the 
drawing-room.  He  was  one  of  those  brown,  sallow, 
shrivelled  people,  who  look  as  if  they  never  had  been 
youthful,  and  hardly  could  be  aged.  Lord  Herbert  had 
been  his  pupil  at  Oxford,  and  had  the  greatest  regard  for 
him.  There  were  to  be  two  other  Curates,  but  one  was 
not  yet  ordained,  and  the  other  could  not  come  for  a 
month ;  and  there  was  also  Mr.  Woodman,  who  belonged 
to  the  Chapel  in  the  new  part  of  the  town. 

It  was  nearly  eight  when  they  left  the  dining-room ; 
the  sun  was  not  set,  for  they  saw  its  light  on  the  top  of 
the  Church  tower,  but  it  could  not  penetrate  to  them,  and 
the  little  northern  drawing-room,  literally  rather  more 
than  '  twelve  foot  square,'  was  already  beginning  to  darken. 
Constance  seated  Emmeline  in  the  innermost  recess  of  the 
sofa,  put  herself  next,  and  Kate  on  her  other  side,  and 
with  her  arm  round  one  sister,  and  her  hand  playing  with 
the  fingers  of  the  other,  she  exclaimed,  '  Now  for  a  nice 
comfortable  talk  in  the  dark  !  The  gentlemen  won't  be 
in  for  an  age  ;  they  have  all  their  plans  to  settle.  How 
snug  we  shall  be  !  ' 

At  that  moment  the  knell  began  to  ring  a  deep  and 
solemn  toll.     Constance  felt  how  Emmeline  shuddered. 

'  That  poor  man  ! '  said  Constance.  '  Herbert  thought 
it  must  soon  be  over.     He  left  him  quite  insensible.' 

'  It  is  very  solemn,'  said  Kate. 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  265 

'  And  we  shall  have  to  see  the  burial,'  said  Emmeline, 
*  O,  Constance,  ConstaLce,  you  can  never  bear  to  live 
here  ! ' 

*  My  poor  Emmie,'  said  Constance,  tenderly,  '  I  have 
brought  you  here  too  soon.  I  am  sorry  you  have  had 
such  a  long  tiring  day.' 

'  I  am  sure  it  is  a  bad  omen,'  said  .Emmeline,  hiding 
her  face  on  her  sister's  shoulder,  and  speaking  in  a  gasp- 
ing whisper,  '  I  should  not  have  told  you  so — 0,  Constance 
— but  I  could  not  help  it.' 

'  Emmie,  love,'  said  Constance,  '  you  would  not  think 
so  if  you  were  not  tired  and  out  of  spirits.  It  is  a  fancy 
that  will  go  off  another  time.' 

'■  Oh,  but  it  is  so  dismal !  '  said  Emmeline. 

'  Dismal !  No,  I  don't  think  so.  Hark,  how  deep  and 
musical ;  there  is  something  soothing  as  well  as  solemn  in 
the  sound.' 

'  Do  you  like  to  live  here,  Constance  ?  '  said  Kate, 
presently.     '  You  are  not  disappointed  ?  ' 

'  0,  no,  it  is  much  better  than  Herbert  led  me  to 
expect.' 

'  What  a  description  his  must  have  been,'  said  Em- 
meline. 

'  But,  Constance,  do  you  really  mean  that  you  like 
this  as  well  as  Copseley?  '  said  Kate. 

.'  My  dear,  how  can  you  ask  such  a  question  %  '  said 
Constance,  laughing ;  '  Copseley  was  a  delightful  place  to 
begin  with,  but  too  delightful  to  last.' 

'  Yes,  nothing  pleasant  does  last,'  sighed  Emmeline. 
'  But  I  don't  understand  it,  Constance.  You  can't  really 
be  pleased  with  this  dismal  place,  though  you  make  the 
best  of  it  not  to  vex  Herbert.' 

'  No,  no,  Emmie,  that  is  not  it,'  said  Constance.  '  1 
do  honestly  like  being  here ;  why  should  you  think  me 
acting  a  part  ?  ' 

'0,  no,  Constance,  not  that,  but — ' 

'■  I'll  tell  you  how  it  has  been,'  said  Constance ;  '  when 
Herbert  began  to  get  well,  he  always  had  a  feeling  that 
he  ought  to  do  something  more  than  just  go  on  in  an 
ordinary  sort  of  way.     And  when  the  offer  of  this  parish 

19 


266  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

came,  it  seemed  like  a  call.  You  know  Copseley  is  safo 
under  Mr.  Forester,  but  his  taking  this  place  seemed  its 
only  chance  ;  so  we  could  only  make  up  our  minds  to  come 
and  do  our  best,  if  his  health  will  but  hold  out.' 

*  Yes,  yes,  but  why  live  in  this  den  ?  ' 

'  Why,  Emmie,  surely  it  is  right  for  the  parson  to  live 
in  the  parsonage  ;  and  if  it  has  four  walls  and  is  weather- 
tight,  it  would  be  a  shame  to  be  too  fine  for  it.  "We  seem 
to  be  most  wanted  in  this  poor  forsaken  crowded  part  of 
the  place,  and  I  dare  say  we  shall  get  on  very  well. 
See  what  lots  of  luxuries  we  have,  that  we  can't  get  rid 
of.  It  is  a  very  good  house  if  you  would  only  think 
so.' 

'  But  Herbert — when  one  thinks  what  he  has  been 
used  to  ? ' 

'  0,  Emmie,  that  is  not  talking  at  all  like  your  old 
self?'  said  Constance,  rather  indignantly;  then  adding, 
after  a  little  thought,  '  I  do  believe  Herbert,  from  having 
been  brought  up  to  grandeur,  misses  those  kind  of  things 
less.  You  know  Copseley  was  a  considerable  come-down 
from  Rowthorpe,  and  there's  not  so  much  difference  in 
our  style  between  this  and  Copseley.  But  that  is  not  the 
point.  We  have  come  here  to  be  servants  to  our  pa- 
rishioners, and  all  we  have  belongs  to  them;  so  all  we 
have  to  look  to,  is  what  is  best  for  them.  I  mean  what 
is  right  as  becoming  our  station,  and  what  will  help  them 
most.' 

*  And  you  like  it !  '  said  Emmeline. 

'  Can  you  ask,  Emmie  !  Is  it  not  a  great  thing  to  be 
allowed  to  have  part  with  him  ? — 0,  Emmie — I  can't 
talk  about  it — but  there  is  something  in  it  so  very 
happy.' 

Emmeline  was  struck.  It  was  what  she  used  to  fancj 
her  own  turn  of  mind,  and  in  Constance  it  was  genuine 
and  practical.  But  its  being  so  practical  was  the  very 
reason  Emmeline  was  unable  to  enter  into  it.  '  I  could 
understand  it — if — if  it  was  Madeline — if  it  was  a  mis- 
sionary— but  it  is  self-devotion,  it  is  very  beautiful — only 
this  little  poky  house — ' 

'  My  dear,'  said  Constance,  laughing,  '  I  believe  the 


THE    CASTl.E    BUILDERS.  267 

fact  is,  that  with  you  it  is  like  love  in  a  cottage  ;  you  can 
believe  in — such  things — in  a  convent,  or  a  sister  of 
charity — only  you  don't  understand  it  in  a  modern  Clergy- 
man in  a  clolh  coat,  and  a  little  common-place  house.  Is 
not  that  it  ?  Indeed,  you  know  we  must  take  things  as 
we  find  them,  and  not  sit  still  and  amuse  ourselves,  though 
we  do  happen  to  be  born  in  the  nineteenth  century.  Things 
were  common-place  to  those  old  peo23le  that  are  romance 
to  us,  you  may  be  sure.' 

Constance  had  spoken  as  she  felt  in  her  inmost  heart, 
and  as  she  seldom  had  expressed  herself;  and  with  a  sort 
of  reserve,  she  instantly  changed  the  subject  to  some 
playful  discussion  of  the  labours  of  the  morrow.  Kate 
answered,  Emmeline  was  silent,  for  even  this  free  unin- 
terrupted conversation,  easy,  open,  and  tender,  was  not 
satisfying  to  that  constant  aching  craving  for  something 
more. 

The  place  was  forlorn  and  mean,  and  Constance  was 
provoking  for  being  satisfied  with  what  was  merely  dis- 
agreeable, not  striking.  Emmeline  wanted  something  to 
please  her  imagination,  and  as  this  was  not  accomplished, 
oho  miseed  the  beauty  of  the  unobtrusive  self  sacrifice,  and 
simply  disliked  its  severity. 

This  dingy  abode,  it  was  too  true,  was  Constance's 
home,  but  it  never  could  be  the  goal  of  her  day-dreams, 
and  that  active  contentment  of  Constance  herself,  showed 
that  now  that  she  was  a  wife,  she  was  only  a  reflection  of 
her  husband,  and  would  no  longer  be  what  Emmeline  had 
figured  to  herself 

All  was  a  failure,  and  nothing  was  left  but  to  sigh 
over  the  truth  of 

'Man  never  is,  hut  always  to  be  blest.' 


968  THE    CASTLE   BUILDERg- 


CHAPTER  XXL 


How  rarely  boyhood  loves  to  paint 

In  glowing  tints  his  future  bright! 
A  picture  where  no  line  is  faint, 

Whose  very  clouds  are  tipped  with  light 
And  girlhood  hails  a  world  unknown, 

And  reads  it  in  her  own  glad  dreams  ; 
As  lilies  see  themselves  alone 

Eeflected  in  their  azure  streams. 

C.  F.  A. 


How  busy  Lord  and  Lady  Herbert  were,  may  be  easily 
guessed,  aud  how  heartily  Kate  aided  them.  There  was 
much  that  was  disagreeable,  the  Church  arrangements 
wretched,  the  attendance  on  the  daily  service  almost  no- 
thing, the  school  such  a  stifling  den,  that  till  something 
could  be  done,  Constance  begged  Lord  Herbert  to  hear 
all  his  pupils  in  the  dining-room  ;  the  instruction  at  the 
lowest  ebb,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  parish  sending  their 
children  to  Dissenting  schools.  Dissent  was  rampant,  and. 
at  the  first  view,  it  appeared  as  if  the  town  was  divided 
between  nonconformity  and  absolute  irrcligion — '  heathen- 
ism,' as  Kate  called  it  till  Mr.  Redlands  said  it  was 
worse,  for  it  was  Christianity  forgotten.  Poverty,  and  all 
its  accompanying  evils  of  dirt,  sickliness,  and  hard  indif- 
ferent recklessness,  met  them  at  every  turn.  Nor  was  all 
satisfactory  in  the  upper  town,  and  Constance  perceived 
many  difficulties  awaiting  her  the  first  time  she  looked 
over  the  books  used  at  school. 

It  was  cqnopos  t;)  this  matter  that  Kate  related  tho 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  269 

history  of  tlieir  own  troubles  at  t'ne  school  at  Herringsby, 
very  much  to  Lord  Herbert's  diversion,  and  as  Kate  can- 
didly allowed,  it  was  just  what  they  deserved  for  acting 
against  his  warning. 

*  But  Herbert,'  said  she, '  I  do  wish  you  would  explain 
to  me  the  rights  and  wrongs.' 

A  serious  undertaking,  Kate.' 

'  Emmie  and  I  have  talked  it  over,  and  we  do  not  un- 
derstand it — do  we,  Emmie  ?  ' 

'  It  is  only  a  result  of  the  uncomfortable  disunion  and 
party  spirit  of  the  time  we  live  in,'  said  Emmeline,  as  if 
she  wanted  to  bring  the  matter  to  an  end. 

'  Well,  I  know,  so  it  is,'  said  Kate ;  '  but  I  want 
clearly  to  see  what  is  to  be  done,  and  what  we  ought  to 
have  done.     It  was  a  great  pity  to  be  of  no  use.' 

'  So  thought  Titus  Manlius  when  he  killed  the  cham- 
pion,' said  Lord  Herbert. 

'  But  it  was  a  great  shame  of  old  Manlius  to  execute 
him  ! '  said  Kate. 

'  We  ar'n't  going  to  execute  you,  Katie,'  said  Con- 
stance, '  but  don't  you  see  that  it  is  not  safe  to  break  the 
rules  of  discipline  for  any  good  1  Besides,  do  you  think 
you  were  absolutely  called  on  to  begin  teaching  on  your 
own  authority  ?  ' 

'  No — perhaps  not,'  said  Kate ;  '  and  I  know  we  were 
wrong  in  our  notion  of  Mr.  Brent ;  he  would  have  made 
us  useful  in  the  right  way  if  we  had  but  put  ourselves 
under  him.' 

'  But  if  he  had  been  really  bad — what  should  you  have 
said  then,  Herbert  ?  '  said  Emmeline. 

'  There  would  probably  have  been  something  to  guide 
you — you  would  have  been  thrown  in  contact  with  some 
one  in  need  of  help.  Besides,  if  he  had  been  bad,  as  you 
call  it.  he  would  probably  have  been  so  indifferent  to  the 
state  of  his  parish,  that  your  teaching  would  not  have 
been  in  opposition  to  him.' 

'  Most  likely,'  said  Kate;  'but  suppose  he  held  the 
same  opinions  as  that  Mr.  Denham — what  should  we  do 
then  ? ' 

'  I  don't  much  like  answering  such  cases  of  conscience/ 
said  Herbert.     '  What  do  you  say,  Constance?' 


270  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

'  I  don't  know — I  was  thinking ;  but  I  believe  what 
would  strike  me  as  the  fairest  thing,  would  be  to  tell  the 
Clergyman  that  if  I  taught  at  all,  it  would  be  according 
to  the  strict  sense  of  the  words  of  the  Prayer-book,  and 
then  let  him  take  his  choice  whether  he  would  employ  me 
or  not.' 

'  Yes,  I  think  you  have  settled  that  question,'  said 
Herbert,  *  and  I  suspect  it  would  end  in  your  being 
allowed  your  own  way.' 

*  How  I  should  hate  the  settling  it ! '  said  Kate  ;  '  I 
think  it  would  end  as  it  did  at  Herringsby.' 

'  But  those  good  little  old  Miss  Shaws  puzzle  me  much 
more,'  said  Emmeline.  '  They  were  so  thoroughly  good, 
and  kind,  and  self-denying,  and  humble,  one  could  not 
help  loving  and  honouring  them  with  all  one's  heart,  and 

yet—' 

'  I  do  believe  that  Mrs,  and  Miss  Charlton  are  going 
to  be  just  as  bad,'  broke  in  Kate.  '  I  saw  one  of  the  very 
worst  of  the  tracts  the  Miss  Shaws  used  to  give,  in  Miss 
Charlton's  basket,  this  very  morning.  Don't  you  remem- 
ber, Emmie,  it  was  one  about  a  very  religious  man,  who 
had  nothing  to  eat,  and  he  prayed,  and  presently  he  came 
to  a  pit  with  some  bread  and  meat  in  it,  wrapped  up  in  a 
handkerchief* 

'  The  sawyer's  dinner,  probably,'  said  Lord  Herbert. 

'  And  pray,'  said  Constance,  '  may  I  ask  whether  you 
assisted  in  the  distribution  of  this  instruction  in  morality?' 

'  No — luckily  not,'  said  Kate,  '  for  dear  Frank  found 
it  out,  and  I  thought  he  would  never  have  ceased  asking 
us  "what  became  of  the  handkerchief"  ' 

'  But  what  do  you  think  about  the  old  ladies  ?  '  said 
Emmeline. 

'  They  must  be  too  really  and  deeply  good  for  us  to 
dare  to  censure  them,'  said  Herbert.  '  They  probably 
have  grown  up  without  guidance  from  the  Church,  as  to 
the  right  way  of  doing  good  ;  they  have  done  their  best, 
and  if  their  doctrine  is  defective,  and  their  practice  irreg- 
ular, it  is  not  likely  to  be  their  fault.' 

*  It  is  a  fact  tliat  this  tract  was  left  in  a  Bible,  by  scrnie  visit- 
ors to  a  new  Church. 


THE    CASTLE   BUILDERS.  271 

*  And  that  kindly  visiting  is  not  wrong,  even  in  Mr. 
Brent's  parish  ? ' 

'  No,  not  when  they  don't  leave  tracts  which  they  know 
he  disapproves,  and  even  then  it  is  a  case  of  knowing  no 
better.     The  kind  care  of  the  bodily  wants  must  be  right.' 

*  I  do  believe  the  old  ladies  themselves  would  never 
interfere  or  do  anything  you  don't  approve,  if  it  was  not 
for  their  friends,'  said  Emmeline,  '  they  are  all  kindness 
and  goodness  themselves.' 

'  And  simply  believe  what  they  are  told  by  the  persons 
whem  they  have  been  used  to  respect,'  said  Herbert.  '  It 
is  the  spirit  of  obedience  and  teachableness  that  is  in  them, 
depend  upon  it,  though  it  may  not  always  be  directed  the 
right  way.  By-the-by,  Constance,  I  think  we  had  better 
ask  Mrs.  and  Miss  Charlton  to  tea  some  evening,  and  per- 
haps you  may  manage  to  come  round  them  quietly  about 
the  tracts.' 

Emmeline  and  Kate  were  convinced  that  this  was 
likely  to  succeed,  for  poor  Mr.  Brent's  want  of  manner 
had  always  told  against  him,  while  Lord  Herbert  had 
every  natural  gift  of  pleasing,  and  his  delicate  appearance 
gave  stronger  interest  in  him,  when  gossips  shook  their 
heads,  and  said,  '  Ah  !  poor  young  man,  he  won't  be  here 

All  this  certainly  was  in  his  favour,  and  much  more 
was  the  general  admiration  of  his  sermons.  He  did  not 
often  preach,  for  he  was  obliged  to  spare  his  chest,  but  the 
chance  of  hearing  him  brought  many  to  Church  who 
would  otherwise  have  stayed  away,  and  there  was  always 
some  excitement  at  the  upper  town,  if  he  was  likely  to 
come  to  the  Chapel  on  one  part  of  the  Sunday. 

This  was  telling  in  some  degree  on  the  rich,  and  at- 
tracting such  of  the  tradespeople  as  were  half  Dissenters, 
only  because  they  had  been  neglected  by  their  Clergy;  so 
that  there  was  less  opposition  than  had  at  first  seemed 
probable,  though  there  was  a  great  deal  of  up-hill  work, 
and  the  prospect  of  more  unpleasantness  when  the  novelty 
should  have  worn  off,  and  his  plans  became  more  devel- 
oped. Among  the  poor,  there  began  to  be  some  hopeful 
signs ;  though  for  each  of  these,  there  was  opened  some 
fresh  vista  of  want  and  sin. 


272  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

Well  might  work  thicken  upon  Lord  Herbert  and  his 
wife,  "who  "were  engaged  almost  from  morning  till  night. 
Breakfast,  the  early  dinner,  and  late  tea-drinking,  were 
the  only  times  when  they  were  sure  to  meet,  though  they 
were  in  and  out  of  the  house  half  the  day.  Lord  Herbert 
was  beginning  to  gather  his  Confirmation  classes,  and  he 
asked  his  sisters  if  they  did  not  wish  to  begin  their  prep- 
aration. Kate  was  ready  and  anxious,  Emmeline  quietly 
acquiesced,  so  he  gave  them  books  to  read,  and  questions 
to  answer  on  paper,  but  without  at  present  seeking  for 
conversations  on  the  subject. 

Emmeline  continued  dispirited,  languid,  and  reserved. 
She  did  not  appear  unwell,  but  she  was  reluctant  to  exert 
herself,  and  her  best  efforts  at  courtesy  did  not  conceal 
that  she  found  Dearport  dreary  and  uncomfortable.  The 
last  of  her  visions,  the  return  of  Lord  Herbert  and  Con- 
stance, seemed  as  great  a  failure  as  all  the  rest,  for  here 
was  she  in  their  house,  as  little  contented  as  ever.  Kate 
went  hither  and  thither,  worked  as  hard  as  Constance,  had 
a  class  at  school,  knew  numbers  of  the  poor  people,  and 
was  in  continual  activity  and  enjoyment.  She  caught  no 
headache  in  the  stifling  school,  or  if  she  did,  a  sea-breeze 
blew  it  away ;  she  did  not  mind  the  fishy  smell  of  the 
streets,  and  had  something  else  to  think  of  than  its  disagree- 
ableness  when  she  entered  a  house.  She  was  keeping  too 
close  to  Constance  to  mind  such  things  more  than  she  did; 
but  Emmeline  saw  nothing  but  the  disagreeables,  did 
nothing  but  what  she  was  positively  asked  to  do,  always 
had  a  letter  to  wi'ite,  or  a  book  to  read,  some  occupation, 
when  she  might  have  come  to  be  useful  in  the  morning, 
though  the  results  of  her  employment  generally  seemed  to 
be  nothing  but  dreaming,  and  pining  at  the  dismality  of 
their  Churchyard  aspect ;  and  in  the  afternoon,  she  would 
always,  if  possible,  make  Kate  come  with  her  to  walk  in 
the  Bayhurst  grounds,  and  expressed  great  disgust  at  the 
streets,  with  much  of  her  mother's  tone  and  manner. 

They  were  all  uneasy  on  her  account.  They  thought 
she  had  never  properly  recovered  either  her  illness  or  the 
shock  of  Frank's  death ;  she  had  constantly  been  much 
more  tired  than  was  good  for  her,  when  in  London,  and 
continually  excited,  without  having  sufficient  time  for  rest. 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  273 

either  mental  or  bodily,  and  this  was  a  reaction  from  the 
long  excitement  she  had  been  under.  They  must  wait, 
and  let  her  be  calmed  and  soothed,  till  her  frame  recovered 
its  full  health,  and  her  mind  its  tone  and  vigour ;  so  Con- 
stance was  patient  and  tender,  did  not  try  to  rouse  her  by 
exhortations,  or  force  her  confidence,  but  only  gave  her 
every  proof  of  affection,  and  devised  means  of  finding  her 
beneficial  occupation. 

But  weariness  of  spirit,  and  unformed  longings  of  dis- 
content hung  on  her  day  after  day.  Devotional  employ- 
ment simply  gave  her  pain,  from  which  she  took  refuge  in 
the  dull  coat  of  dreary  formal  indifference  that  was  fast 
growing  over  her.  It  made  her  unhappy  to  think,  so  she 
did  not  try  ;  she  did  not  care  to  do  anything,  slie  was  tired 
of  everything  ;  restless  enough  almost  to  wish  the  visit 
was  over,  though  there  was  nothing  but  dreariness  in  the 
prospect  of  joining  Sir  Francis  and  Lady  Willoughby  at 
Cheltenham.  Her  mind  would  sometimes  even  recur  to 
the  chance  of  meeting  the  Aliens  there  ;  they  amused  her, 
and  filled  up  the  vacancy  in  her  mind,  and  she  continued 
the  correspondence  which  she  had  commenced  with  Susan, 
always  looking  the  first  thing  for  some  sentence  beginning, 
'  Henry  desires  me  to  tell  you.' 

It  was  a  Sunday  evening.  The  day  had  been  one  of 
considerable  toil ;  Constance,  Kate,  and  Mr.  Redlands, 
had  been  school-keeping  whenever  they  were  not  at 
Church ;  Emmeline  had  been  teaching  a  class  at  home, 
and  Lord  Herbert,  besides  taking  part  in  the  early  ser- 
vice, had  been  to  the  Chapel  in  the  morning,  and  had  cat- 
echized in  the  afternoon.  This  evening  his  sermon  was 
too  often  interrupted  by  the  unwelcome  sound  of  his  old 
short  cough.  It  was  chilly  and  wet,  a  small  cold  rain 
drifting  like  a  wall  of  mist  from  the  sea,  dense,  grey,  and 
oppressive,  and  when  they  came  out  of  Church,  and  saw 
the  glaze  of  wet  on  the  tombstones  and  roofs,  which  there 
was  just  light  enough  to  distinguish,  heard  the  plash  from 
the  dripping  eaves,  and  felt  the  damp  to  their  feet,  while 
they  breathed  the  unwholesome  cold  moist  atmosphere, 
Emmeline  shivered,  saying  that  it  was  wretched;  she  felt 
it  in  all  her  bones. 
12* 


274  THE    CASTLE   BUILDERS. 

Constance  did  not  stay  to  hear  licr,  but  hastened 
across  the  flagged  path  into  tlie  house.  The  sisters  fol- 
lowed, and  went  up  at  once  to  take  off  their  bonnets,  Em- 
meline  sighing  all  the  time  at  the  forlorn  place,  and  at 
Herbert's  cough,  while  Kate  tried  to  console  her,  by  put- 
ting her  in  mind  that  before  next  Sunday  the  young  Dea- 
con would  be  arrived.  '  0,  but  it  is  the  place  ! '  said 
Emmeline.  '  Just  think  what  it  will  be  a  little  later  in 
the  year.     And  this  is  only  August ! ' 

Emmeline  was  too  disconsolate  to  put  much  alacrity 
in  her  movements,  and  Kate  waited  to  help  her,  so  that  it 
was  more  than  ten  minutes  before  they  came  down  stairs, 
cold  and  forlorn,  into  '  twelve  foot  square,'  which  they  ex- 
pected to  find  more  ding}''  than  ever. 

Behold  it  was  glowing  with  brightness,  which  streamed 
forth  as  they  opened  the  door.  It  was  not  merely  cold 
candle  light,  but  a  fire  was  shining  with  the  warm  pleasant 
smile  peculiar  to  unexpected  fires  on  ungenial  summer 
evenings,  lighting  up  gaily  the  gilded  bindings  of  the 
books,  wdiilc  the  tea-things  were  reflecting  the  red  light, 
each  with  its  own  polished  glance,  and  Constance's  blithe 
face  and  glossy  hair  beamed  over  them.  Herbert  leant 
back  in  the  glistening  chintz-covered  arm-chair,  in  the  lux- 
ury of  repose,  his  eyes  and  smile  showing  he  had  just  been 
saying  something  to  cause  the  laugh  that  had  not  quite 
passed  from  Constance's  face,  nor  from  that  of  Mr.  lied- 
lands,  who  stood  on  the  other  side  of  the  fire,  very  glad  to 
be  spending  the  evening  in  this  pleasant  room,  instead  of 
walking  home  to  his  small  lodging  over  the  stationer's 
shop,  half  way  up  the  hill. 

A  chair  on  each  side  of  Constance  was  ready  for  her 
sisters,  and  the  substantial  meal  looked  most  inviting  to 
people  whose  early  dinner  had  been  snatched  in  a  hurry. 
Even  Emmeline  was  oblige  to  exclaim  with  pleasure,  and 
declare  that  the  room  looked  delightful,  and  then  how 
comfortable  and  agreeable  was  the  desultory  talk  that  went 
round  about  tlie  affairs  of  the  day ;  that  parish  talk  most 
engrossing  to  those  who  have  their  hearts  in  such  things. 

An  hour  passed  away  in  this  pleasant  manner,  when  a 
message  came  in  that  a  little  boy  had  been  taken  very  ill, 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  275 

*  Mrs.  Sims's  little  boy,  up  in  North  Hill  Street.'  Mr. 
Redlands  exclaimed  instantly  that  he  would  go  ;  it  was  in 
his  own  especial  part  of  the  parish ;  Lord  Herbert  must 
not  think  of  going  out  in  this  chilly  damp  night — all  the 
way  up  the  hill  too — and  it  was  in  his  own  way  home. 
Herbert  was  extremely  reluctant,  but  was  obliged  to  ac- 
quiesce, when  he  had  opened  the  front  door,  and  the  damp 
had  made  him  cough  and  shiver,  and  Mr.  Ptedlands  set 
out  at  once,  in  great  haste.  In  the  mean  time  Constance 
was  inquiring  of  the  messenger  about  the  child's  illness, 
and  presently  coming  back,  she  said,  '  I  think  I  had  better 
go  and  see  about  him.  I  think  I  know  how  to  manage  the 
croup,  and  the  doctor  is  so  far  off,  in  the  upper  town.' 

'  "Very  well ;  it  is  too  late  to  he  out  of  town  by  your- 
self,' said  Lord  Herbert,  *  I  had  better  go  with  you — it  is 
all  nonsense.' 

'  Nonsense,  indeed,  for  you  to  think  of  going ! '  said 
Constance.  *  Besides,  I  shall  have  Lucy  Sims  to  walk 
there  with,  and  Mr.  Redlands  will  see  me  back.  Come — ' 
answering  his  look — '  never  mind,  Herbert,  don't  you  re- 
member, we  settled  not  to  mind  such  things  ? ' 

*  If  Redlands  was  not  gone,'  said  Lord  Herbert. 

'  0,  but  do  let  me  go  with  you !  '  cried  Kate.  '  Do, 
pray,  Constance,  I  should  so  like  to  go  to  see  that  dear 
little  boy.' 

'  You,  Kate !  How  would  mamma  like  it  ? '  said 
Constance. 

*  0,  never  mind,  you  know  we  can't  help  that.  Do  let 
me  go.     Make  her  take  me,  Herbert !  ' 

'  Well,  if  Katie  goes  with  you,  I  don't  so  much  mind.' 
iVnd,  seizing  this  consent,  the  two  sisters  hurried  off,  and 
were  next  seen  for  a  moment  muffled  in  cloaks. 

Lord  Herbert  and  Emmeline  remained,  sitting  in  the 
arm-chairs  on  the  opposite  sides  of  the  lire.  He  was  ap- 
parently in  deep  thought ;  Emmeline  had  taken  a  book,- 
but  was  not  reading.  It  was  her  first  tete-a-tete  with  him 
since  his  return,  and  she  dreaded  what  he  might  be  going 
to  say — a  Confirmation  lecture  perhaps,  searching  into  a 
state  of  mind  which  she  shunned  to  investigate.  Each 
minute  that  he  kept  silence  was  a  relief,  though  he  might 
be  only  preparing  his  speech. 


276  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

The  fall  of  a  coal  in  the  fire  made  lier  start ;  and  Lord 
Herbert,  while  he  laughed,  and  arranged  the  fire,  said,  '  I 
beg  your  pardon,  Emmie,  I  had  fallen  into  a  brown  study. 
I  was  thinking  of  the  wonderful  castles  Annie  and  I  used 
to  build.' 

'  Did  you  ever  build  castles  ?  '  said  Emmeline,  looking 
p  with  eager  interest. 

'  That  we  did  !  Sitting  here,  opposite  to  you,  put  me 
in  mind  of  the  days  when  Annie  and  I  were  not  arrived  at 
dining  late — when  we  used  to  sit.  while  the  old  people 
were  at  dinner,  one  on  each  side  of  the  fire,  and  such 
schemes  as  we  used  to  make  ! '  said  he,  smiling. 

'  0,  I  wish  you  would  tell  me  what  they  were  like  ! ' 

'  One  was  about  the  Knights  of  St.  John.  Annie  was 
reading  Yertot,  in  the  school-room,  and  used  to  tell  me 
the  history  every  evening,  and  we  used  to  compose  beau- 
tiful adventures.  I  was  to  be  a  Knight  Hospitaller,  and 
Annie  was  to  revive  the  Sisters,  for  her  own  benefit.' 

'  That  was  delightful ! '  said  Emmeline,  *  and  too  un- 
real to  be  ever  spoilt.' 

'  I  think  it  reigned  a  whole  winter,  at  least  till  we  set 
up  another  vision,  a  missionary  one,  for  being  Bishop  of  a 
desert  island.  I  mean,'  he  added,  laughing,  'not  quite  to 
teach  the  coral  worms,  but  we  were  to  have  a  picked  race 
of  amiable  savages,  and  admirable  settlers,  besides  which 
Annie  especially  '  stipulated  that  there  should  be  no 
volcano.' 

'  There  I  quite  agree  with  her.' 

*  The  Southern  lona,  that  was  its  name.  AYe  even 
drew  a  map  of  it,  which  Frances  has  still.  It  had  all  the 
zest  of  a  desert  island  story  added  to  the  rest.  Cocoa- 
nuts,  and  canoes,  and  coral  reefs,  and  shipwrecked  sailors 
There  were  adventures  enough  to  make  a  romance.' 

'  0, 1  do  enjoy  that.  But  I  nevCr  should  have  guessed 
that  you  had  made  castles.' 

'  It  was  more  dear  Annie's  doing  than  mine.' 

*  Had  you  any  more  '? ' 

'  One,  which  came  when  we  were  rather  older,  and 
which  was  full  in  my  mind  this  evening.  I  was  to  have  a 
living  in  some  very  miserable  town,  where  one  would  have 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  277 

to  be  almost  a  missionary ;  Annie,  of  course,  was  to  live 
with  me  ;  we  were  to  have  no  more  comforts  than  the  poor 
themselves,  and  to  devote  everything  to  them,  doing  im- 
mense good,  winning  every  one,  carrying  out  every  perfect 
scheme,  feeling  and  seeing  our  success.' 

'  So  then  you  are  really  living  in  your  own  castle  ?  ' 

'  And  just  at  the  moment  the  coal  fell  down,  I  was 
wondering  what  Annie  would  think  of  seeing  her  brother 
dawdling  by  the  side  of  the  fire,  while  other  people  are 
doing  his  wo-rk.' 

'  Day-dreams  had  better  not  have  any  fulfilment  at 
all ! '  exclaimed  Emmeline. 

'  Well,  Emmie,  I  don't  at  all  agree  with  you  there.  I 
can't  think  it  grateful  to  lament  that  our  wishes  are  ac- 
complished. 

'  If  they  were,'  said  Emmeline  ;  '  but  they  only  pretend 
to  be,  that  they  may  mock  us  with  their  insufiiciency.' 

'  You  mean,'  said  Lord  Herbert,  smiling,  '  that  South 
lona  would  have  had  a  volcano  in  it.' 

'  Or  something  worse,'  said  Emmeline.  '  It  would 
have  failed  or  palled,  or  turned  to  the  disappointment  that 
everything  is  ! ' 

'  Indeed  ?  '  said  Lord  Herbert,  enquiringl3^ 

'  Disappointment,  yes,  life  is  disappointment,'  sighed 
Emmeline,  resting  her  forehead  on  her  hand,  speaking  so 
low  that  he  could  hardly  hear,  and  murmuring  to  herself 
the  last  lines  of  some  verses  she  had  lately  been  working 
up:— 

'Delusive  pageantry,  that  masks 
The  hollowness  of  mortals'  tasks.' 

'  0;  if  you  are  writing  poetry  about  it,  of  course  you 
are  bound  to  try  to  believe  it,'  said  Lord  Herbert. 

Emmeline  thought  herself  taking  a  very  grave  and 
serious  line,  suited  to  a  clerical  auditor,  and  by  no  means 
relished  this  reception.  '  It  is  not  fancy,'  she  replied  ;  •  I 
wish  it  was,  but  I  have  lived  long  enough  to  feel  its  truth.' 

'  Are  you  sure  that  it  is  the  fault  of  life  ? '  said 
Herbert. 

*  What  can  I  think,  Herbert  ?  I  have  felt,  I  have 
seen,  I  have  known.     Indeed,  indeed  I  do  net  speak  with- 


278  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

out  sad  experience  ;  all  the  dreams  of  my  youth  have  been 
nothing  but  disappointment,  and  those  that  have  been  half 
fuljBlled  have  been  worse  than  the  others.' 

'  You  have  had  vexations  and  griefs,  I  know,'  he  said, 
kindly,  and  Emmeline  was  irrestibly  impelled,  by  the 
gentle  interest  of  his  manner,  as  well,  perhaps,  as  by  the 
desire  to  justify  her  dejection,  to  go  on. 

'  Ever  since  I  left  childhood  behind  me  it  has  been 
disappointment.  We  were  happy  enough  with  you  and 
Constance ;  then  came  your  illness,  to  spoil  everything.' 

'  I  am  very  sorry,'  said  Herbert,  apologetically. 

'  Well,  then  there  was  that  dearest  vision  of  our  hearts 
— mamma's  coming  home ;  and  oh !  Herbert,  you  have 
seen  enough  of  us  to  understand  that  our  home  is  the  dis- 
appointment above  all.  There  was  but  one  whom  with 
our  whole  hearts' — the  tears  were  gathering  in  her  eyes — 
'  we  could  love,  and  how  we  did  love  him !  We  never 
knew  how  much,  while' — her  words  were  mixed  with 
weeping.  '  And  he  was  made  to  suffer — he  had  to  bear — 
was  persecuted — his  darling  vision  taken  from  him — he 
who  was  better  than  all.  And  because  we  loved  him,  he 
was — he  was  taken  from  us.' 

'  Yes.  You  might  well  have  a  great  affection  for 
him,'  said  Lord  Herbert ;  '  but,  Emmie,  you  are  scarcely 
looking  on  his  life  in  the  true  way.  Perhaps  his  trouble 
was  the  one  trial  he  needed,  and  his  death  assuredly 
opened  to  him  the  fulfilment  of  his  own  scheme.  It 
brought  him  into  the  fulness  of  that  service  which  he 
sought;  it  spared  him  the  secular  life  he  shunned.  I  am 
sure,  from  what  Kate  has  told  me,  that  his  last  feelings 
were  of  this  kind.' 

'  Dearest,  dearest  Frank !  I  dare  say  Kate  knows 
more  of  his  last  sayings  than  I  do,  for  I  was  so  chilled 
and  frightened  at  the  time,  and  so  confused  with  illness 
afterwards ;  but  I  have  never  been  able  to  bear  to  ask 
her.' 

'  I  am  sure  you  would  find  great  comfort  in  talking 
them  over  with  her.' 

*  I  will,  I  will,  when  I  can  bear  it,  but  I  can't  now. 
0,  Herbert,  you  have  always  had  a  happy  lomc  !     You 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  27S 

lu-tle  know  ^dlat  it  is  to  lose  the  only  bright  spot.  But, 
don't  j'Oii  see,  Herbert,  I  have  tried  everything,  and  it 
has  failed  me;  it  all  turns  out  to  have  no  permanent 
pleasure  in  it.  Home,  and  caring  for  poor  people,  and 
learning,  and  occupation.  Yes,  I  see  what  you  are 
going  to  say — religion — but  indeed,  and  indeed,  Her- 
bert, I  have  tried  that  too,  and  in  earnest,  and  I  don't 
know  how  it  may  be  with  other  people,  but  it  does  no 
more  than  the  rest  for  me.  I  always  thought  it  would 
be  right,  and  I  should  be  happy  again  if  you  and  Con- 
stance were  but  at  home  ;  but  here  you  are,  and — oh 
dear  !  I  don't  feel  a  bit  less  like  Mariana  in  the  moated 
grange.' 

Herbert  repeated  the  couplet  about  Mariana : 

'  Said  she,  I  am  weary,  weary ; 
I  would  that  I  were  dead.' 

'  Is  that  what  you  mean,  Emmie  ?  ' 

Emmeline  paused,  and  then  spoke  rather  fretfully, 
'  You  will  not  understand  me,  Herbert,  it  is  only  poeti- 
cally.' 

'  Or,  perhaps,  yon  agree  with  the  young  lady  in  Dick- 
ens, who  exclaims,  "  I  hate  everybody,  and  wish  everybody 
was  dead.'  " 

'  Herbert,  how  can  you  ?  ' 

'  My  dear  Emmie,  I  only  want  you  to  get  rid  of  what 
is  nonsense,  and  put  on  for  the  sake  of  poetry,  and  then 
perhaps  we  may  be  able  to  see  what  is  the  matter.  I 
know  you  are  unhappy  and  out  of  spirits,  but  at  the  same 
time  you  think  it  is  a  very  fine  thing  to  be  weary  of  the 
world,  and,  till  we  get  to  your  real  self,  I  don't  know  how 
to  talk  to  you.' 

'  You  think  all  I  have  said  affectation,'  said  Emme- 
line, a  good  deal  hurt. 

'  No,  by  no  means  all,  and  quite  unconsciously,  but 
when  we  come  to  Mariana — ' 

'  Perhaps  that  was  too  strong,'  said  Emmeline,  '  but 
it  16  what  is  always  coming  into  my  head.  I  seem  to 
nave  no  hope,  no  purpose.  I  don't  care  where  I  am,  or 
what  I  do  :  one  place  is  only  more  tiresome  than  another. 


280  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

Now,  Herbert,  you  sLall  believe  at  least  that  you  have 
got  to  the  bottom  of  me  ;  for  I'll  tell  you  the  very  truth, 
shock  you  as  it  may.  The  only  things  this  summer  that 
have  really  made  me  alive  relieved  this  vacancy  and 
weariness — I  don't  know  how  to  express  it — the  only 
things  I  can  care  for  are,  dancing  and  going  to  that 
Roman  Catholic  Service.  There  !  now  despise  me  as  you 
will,  but  be  sure  I  have  told  you  the  truth.' 

'  Yes,  I  see.  Excitement,'  said  Herbert,  quietly, 
without  looking  as  horrified  as  she  expected,  which  would 
perhaps  have  gratified  her  craving  for  this  same  excite- 
ment. '  But,  Emmeliue,'  he  added,  turning  from  that 
branch  of  the  subject,  '  should  you  dislike  looking  into 
each  of  these  matters,  where  you  say  your  hopes  of  happi- 
ness have  failed  you  ?     You  might  find  out  why — ' 

'  Very  well,'  said  Emmeline,'  adding  within  herself 
*  I  know  what  you  are  going  to  say,  that  we  were  not 
religious  enough.' 

'  Well,'  said  Herbert,  '  you  began  with — let  me  see — 
your  first  vexation  was  the  not  being  able  to  come  to 
Copscley  that  Christmas.' 

'  0  no — no — don't  put  it  in  that  way,  Herbert,  do  you 
think  we  were  such  wretches  of  selfishness  ?  ' 

'  No,  no,  I  was  only  thinking  how  far  our  excursion 
had  been  personally  a  cause  of  vexation  to  you.  How- 
ever, that  could  not  be  helped.' 

'  And,  after  all,  we  were  much  happier  those  holidays 
than  we  expected,'  said  Emmeline.  '  We  had  visions 
then.' 

'  So  we  need  say  nothing  about  that.  Now  for  your 
home.  You  say  that  you  had  but  one  to  love  there. 
Why  do  you  pass  over  all  the  children  ? ' 

'  Poor  children,  we  are  fond  of  them,  of  course,  but 
they  are  no  companions.  The  boys  are  rude ;  Janet  is 
fretful ;  Cecilia  a  mere  baby.' 

'  I  su2:)pose  Annie  and  myself  were  no  companions  to 
Frances,  when  she  used  to  watch  us  with  such  motherly 
care.  I  am  sure  that  the  habit  we  gained  then  of  looking 
to  her  for  our  pleasures  was  of  advantage  to  us  ever 
after,  and  made  us  all  the  happier  together  when  we  were 
on  an  equality.' 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  281 

*  I  am  sure  you  and  Lady  Anne  must  have  been  more 
agreeable  children  than  ours.  It  would  be  so  tiresome  to 
be  watching  them  all  day.' 

'  You  s'eem  to  find  other  things  tiresome,'  said  Lord 
Herbert ;  '  besides,  you  are  rather  adding  to  what  I 
said.' 

'  You  think  we  neglect  them  ?  '  said  Emmeline.  '  Did 
Constance  tell  you  so  ?  ' 

'  I  spoke  chiefly  from  your  entire  omission  of  them  as 
sources  of  interest.  What  Constance  did  tell  me  was, 
that  she  regretted  you  did  not  take  more  notice  of 
Janet,  who,  she  thinks,  has  a  yery  deep  earnest  char- 
acter, likely  to  develope  into  something  fine,  but  unde- 
monstrative, and  in  danger  of  being  soured  for  want  of 
affection.' 

'  Did  Constance  see  so  much  in  little  Janet  ?  '  said 
Emmeline.     '  I  know  she  was  very  fond  of  her.' 

*  You  had  better  talk  to  her  about  it,'  said  Herbert. 
'  I  only  meant  to  show  you  that  you  might  be  passing 
over  one  ingredient  of  happiness  and  interest  at  home,  if 
we  only  look  on  it  as  a  means  of  happiness.' 

'  As  a  duty  ! '  said  Emmeline. 

'  True,  and  though  I  don't  want  you  to  answer  me,  1 
should  like  to  put  it  into  your  head  to  ask  yourself, 
whether  there  are  no  more  home  duties  that  you  have 
avoided,  for  fear  of  their  being  tiresome? 

*  If  things  had  been  different,  I  should  not  have 
avoided  those  duties,'  faltered  Emmeline. 

'  Perhaps  not ;  but  have  you  any  right  to  complain  of 
home  being  disappointing  while  you  neglect  your  part 
there  ? ' 

'  I  don't  think  it  would  be  a  bit  better  if  we  were 
what  you  call  attentive  daughters,'  said  Emmeline  sad- 
ly. 

'  Then  you  own  that  has  not  been  the  case. 

'  If  you  knew — ' 

'  I  don't  want  to  know ;  I  have  to  do  with  you^  not 
with  Kate,  nor  your  home,  but  individually  with  you. 
You  own  that  you  have  not  been  an  attentive  daughter, 
nor  elder  sister,  because  you  found  these  duties  irk- 
some ? ' 


282  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

Tliere  was  a  reluctant  assent  in  her  movement. 

'  Then  I  can't  wonder  that  home  was  a  wearines.«,  nor 
much  at  anything  else.     Next,  what  did  you  try  ? ' 

'  Poor  people,'  said  Emmeline  ;  '  but  you  will  say  that 
failed  because  we  set  about  it  in  the  wrong  way.' 

'  That  was  an  error  in  judgment,'  said  Lord  Herbert, 
'  and  I  don't  think  it  was  the  whole  cause  of  the  failure,' 

'  It  was  silly  of  us  to  give  up  teaching  altogether  for 
fear  of  Mr.  Denham,'  said  Emmeline. 

'  It  was  not  on  principle  you  gave  up  ? ' 

'  No,  but  because  we  dreaded  Mr.  Denham ;  it  would 
have  been  so  disagreeable.  Besides,  the  poor  people  were 
not  what  we  liked.' 

'  And  you  neglected  them  because  you  were  tired  of 
them.     You  sought  them  out — why  ?  ' 

'  Because  we  thought  it  would  bo  nice.' 

'  There's  the  key  again,  Emmeline ;  it  became  no  long- 
er nice  and  you  gave  it  up.  You  had  not  begun  because 
you  felt  it  a  duty,  so  it  was  pnly  another  castle.  Next, 
you  said  learning.' 

'  Yes,  I  wanted  to  know  as  much  as  Juliet  Willough- 
by,  and  I  had  liked  learning  so  much  at  school.  It  was 
very  pleasant  at  first,  but  it  grew  stupid  and  unsatisfy- 
ing.' 

'  Because  it  had  no  object  ?  ' 

'  Just  so.  It  was  not  coming  to  anything.  Yet  one  is 
told  to  learn  and  cultivate  one's  mind,  or  is  that  worldly 
nonsense  ?  ' 

'  We  are  told  to  do  so,  because  each  faculty  is  one  of 
our  talents,  and  we  must  improve,  and  brighten,  and  mul- 
tiply it,  in  case  a  call  should  come  for  us  to  jDut  it  out 
for  our  Master's  use.     Was  this  the  reason  you  studied  ?  ' 

'  I  never  thought  of  that.  It  seemed  to  me  that 
Juliet  was  happy  and  satisfied — we  admired  her.  And 
then  poetry  fills  up  one's  mind.' 

'  For  bad  or  for  good,'  said  Lord  Herbert.  '  Well, 
learning  failed  you.' 

'  And  then  it  was  dreariness.  Your  worst  time  came, 
and  Sir  Francis  tormented  Frank.  It  was  horrid  every 
way,  I  thought  it  could  be  no  worse,  till — Well,  I  did 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  283 

feel  then  that  religion  might  be  a  comfort,  and  I  knew 
W'hat  it  had  been  to  Frank,  so  indeed  I  took  it  up.  Yes, 
I  did,  Herbert;  I  read  and  I  thought,  and  now  and  then 
I  was  quite  lifted  up  out  of  myself,  and  felt  things  in  such 
a  way  !  But  then  you  got  better,  and  that  very  moment 
we  were  all  obliged  to  pack  up  and  set  off  for  Loudon, 
and  when  I  got  into  the  whirl,  everything  grew  disgusting 
together !  I  could  not  feel  to  care  about  religion — I  grew 
tired  of  all  the  good  books  and  thoughts,  and  Church-go- 
ing. Herbert,  don't  think  me  wicked  for  it,  but  Church- 
going  has  such  a  sameness,  not  always  as  you  manage  the 
service,  but  at  that  Church  in  London,  it  did  not  make 
one  a  bit  devout.  Everything  is  weariness  together,  and 
I  shall  feel  so  all  my  life.' 

'  Stop,  stop,  Emmeline.  You  have  not  let  me  ask  you 
how  it  was  that  religion  failed  as  you  say.' 

'  Because  I  must  be  too  bad  for  anything  to  do  me 
any  good,  I  suppose,'  said  Emmeline,  despondently. 

'  Hush,  Emmeline.  None  of  the  chosen  people  of 
Grod  have  a  right  to  speak  in  that  way.  But,  tell  me, 
what  do  you  understand  by  religion  ?  ' 

'  Oh  !  thinking — caring  about  holy  things ;  stirring  up 
one's  spirit — feeling  love  to  God — those  kind  of  things 
— liking  holy  things — '  hesitated  Emmeline,  somewhat 
puzzled. 

'  There  is  the  main-spring,  but  that  is  but  half  the 
matter.  You  had  the  beginning,  but  what  came  of  it  ? 
How  was  it  evidenced  ?  You  tried  to  feel,  what  did  you 
try  to  do  ?  ' 

'  I  was  not  well,  I  could  not  do  much,'  said  Emme- 
line. 

'  But  what  did  you  try  to  do  ?  Did  you  try  to  be 
more  attentive  to  the  home  duties  in  which  you  had  fal- 
len short  ? ' 

'  I  did  not  think  that  was  it.' 

'  Did  you  try  to  conquer  your  reluctance  to  letting 
Mr.  Brent  enter  into  conversation  with  you  ?  ' 

'  Mamma  did  not  wish  it.' 

'  Did  you  try  when  you  were  taken  to  London  to  keap 
from  following  the  foolish  undesirable  ways  of  other  peo- 


284  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

pie  of  your  age,  which  you  yourself  thought  wrong  at  first 
sight  ?  ' 

'  Do  you  mean  the  polka,  Herbert  ? ' 

'  Or  did  you,  in  the  new  scene,  allow  yourself  to  relax 
in  the  devotional  exercises  you  had  taken  up  ?  Don't 
answer  me,  but  yourself 

*  I  can't  think  how  you  know  everything,  Herbert.  But 
you  see,  religion  won't  do  for  me.' 

^  I  don  t  see  any  such  thing.  You  have  had  a  fit  of 
excitement  of  feeling,  which  has  passed  off,  but  you  are 
not  thinking  that  you  have  been  without  religion  all  the 
years  of  your  life.' 

'  0  no,  but  that  is  what  one  means.  That  is  too 
shocking.' 

'  You  are  a  Christian.  Each  right  action  or  feeling, 
each  act  of  faith  or  prayer,  through  your  whole  life,  have 
not  they  been  fruits  of  your  baptismal  grace  ?  ' 

'  I  suppose  so  ;  but  there  have  been  few  enough  of 
them.' 

'■  And  do  you  think  that  is  caused  by  any  defect  in  the 
grace  then  given  you  ?  ' 

'  0  no,  no.' 

'  But  they  have  been  passing,  fleeting,  unstable,  of 
late.  You  have  had  no  rest  in  them,  no  comfort  of  mind, 
no  true  wisdom,  nor  strength,  no  firmness,  no  abiding  sen- 
sation of  love  and  fear  of  God  ?  ' 

Emmeline  gave  a  sort  of  groan  that  showed  that  his 
words  went  home  to  her  heart. 

*  And  you  say  it  is  the  fault  of  religion  ?  Emmeline, 
our  religion  holds  out  to  us  a  means  of  receiving  the 
strength  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Comforter,  giving  us  the 
Spirit  of  wisdom  and  understanding,  the  Spirit  of  counsel 
and  ghostly  strength,  the  Spirit  of  knowledge  and  true 
godliness,  and  the  Spirit  of  God's  holy  fear.' 

'  Confirmation  ! '  said  Emmeline,  '  0,  Herbert,  would 
it  do  all  that  for  me  ?  I  do  believe  it  would  be  peace 
at  last.' 

'  Emmeline,  I  am  sure  it  would.  It  is  not  I  that  tell 
you  so.  It  is  the  promise  of  God  through  His 
Church.' 

I 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  285 

'Yes,  but  it  is  on  a  condition  !  How  am  I  ever  to 
fulfil  that  condition  1  I  may  make  the  vow,  and  intend 
to  keep  it,  and  believe  fully,  but  the  feeling  will  go,  I 
shall  be  unsteady  again.' 

'  If  you  were  to  stand  in  your  own  strength,  not  in  the 
all-sufl&cient  grace,  you  would  ;  but  besides  prayer,  will 
there  not  then  be  open  to  you  the  especial  means  of 
strengthening  and  refreshing  our  souls  ? 

'  But  how  many  there  are  no  better  for  being  Con- 
firmed  ! ' 

'  How  can  we  tell  ?  They  may  be  better,  or  if  they 
fail,  it  may  be  that  their  hearts  are  not  prepared.  They 
wanted  prayer,  or  they  wanted  faith,  or  they  were  not  in 
earnest,  or  they  fell  away  through  some  unresisted  temp- 
tation, not  from  any  defect  in  the  Confirmation  grace, 
which  will  yet  restore  many.' 

'  Then  you  think  if  we  had  been  Confirmed  we  should 
have  avoided  our  faults  ?  ' 

'  No,  I  say  no  such  thing.  I  cannot  tell  how  you 
would  have  kept  your  vow,  but  I  know  you  would  then 
have  been  obedient  to  that  summons  of  the  Church  ;  the 
grace  would  have  been  given  to  you,  and  if  you  had  used 
it  rightly — ' 

'  Ah  !  I  do  believe  that  it  would  have  made  a  difier- 
ence.  I  know  I  should  have  been  afraid  to  stay  away 
from  that  Holy  Communion,  after  your  letter,  and  then 
I  should  have  watched  myself  more,  and  perhaps  been 
saved  from  these  faults,  though  I  never  thought  they 
were  so  bad  before.  I  knew  I  was  good  for  nothing, 
but  I  could  not  make  out  that  I  did  anything  very 
wrong.  0,  I  am  very  glad  we  are  to  be  Confirmed 
now  ! ' 

The  little  gate  was  heard  to  open,  and  Lord  Herbert 
hastened  to  undo  the  front  door.  Glancing  drops  fell  from 
the  umbrella,  as  it  was  closed,  and  bright  were  the  faces 
that  the  lamp-light  revealed. 

'  Better,  much  better.'  '  We  put  him  in  a  hot  bath.' 
*  The  doctor  thinks  he  will  be  much  better  to-morrow.' 
'  He  was  so  good.'  '  He  is  such  a  dear  little  fellow,' 
were  the  exclamations,  while  Lord  Herbert  and  Emmeline 


286  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

helped  them  off  with  their  cloaks  and  shawls,  and  the 
muslin  dresses  were  unfolded. 

'  You  are  sure  you  are  not  wet  ?  ' 

'  0  no,  not  in  the  least.  We  splashed  home  so  merri- 
ly. Mr.  Redlands  watched  for  us,  and  saw  us  at  the 
churchyard  gate.' 

*  There  now,  take  a  good  warm,  and  dry  yourselves 
thoroughly.'  And  Herbert  put  his  wife  into  one  great 
chair,  and  Kate  into  the  other,  and  turned  them  round 
full  before  the  fire,  till  they  cried  out  that  he  wanted  to 
roast  them. 

Very  early  the  next  morning,  Kate  was  waked  by  a 
sudden  flare  in  the  empty  grate  of  her  bed-room.  Em- 
meline  was  kneeling  beside  it,  and  in  reply  to  her 
exclamation  of  inquiry  said,  '  Only  burning  some  trumpery 
papers.' 

'  Not  your  verses,  Emmie  ?  ' 

'  Some  of  them.' 

Five  poems,  namely,  besides  rough  copies,  on  the  emp- 
tiness and  '  hollowness  of  mortal  tasks.'  '  Kate,'  she  added, 
'  Herbert  has  shown  me  all.  I  know  now  why  everything 
was  unsatisfactory  and  hollow.  We  worked  w^ithout  a 
foundation,  we  pleased  ourselves,  and  shrank  from  duty, 
and  so  it  came  to  vanity  and  vexation.  And  now  our 
Confirmation  time  is  coming,  we  will  cease  to  be  children, 
and  reeds  at  the  will  of  every  wind,  but  learn  to  have 
some  steadfastness  of  purpose.' 

'  Yes,  if  we  may  only  receive  strength  from  heaven,' 
said  Kate  ;  *  but  we  have  erred  so  far,  and  neglected  so 
much  already,  that  I  am  afraid  to  think  of  it.' 

'  And  it  was  my  fault,'  said  Emmeline.  '  You  would 
have  done  better  alone.  0,  Kate,  I  almost  dread  lest 
something  should  happen  to  prevent  the  Confirmation 
again.' 


T3IE    CASTLE    BUILDERS  287 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

Bnt  when  our  childhood's  morn  was  ending, 
And  we,  'neath  holy  hands,  were  bending 
Beside  that  altar's  witness  stone, 
That  prayer  had  caught  an  altered  tone — 
The  cheek  with  shame  and  hope  was  burning 
To  a  lost  Father's  house  returning ; 
It  seemed  to  chide  and  yet  to  cheer, 
And  to  that  blending  hope  and  fear 
It  brought  our  endless  birth  right  near. 
And  from  the  rude  world  seemed  to  sever, 
Binding  us  to  that  shrine  for  ever. 

The  CATnEDEAL. 

Here's  a  mischance  !  '  said  Constance. 
'What's  the  matter?  ' 

•  The  girls  have  a  summons  from  my  mother  tu  eome 
back  to  London,  to  go  to  Paris  with  her  and  Sir  Fiancis.' 

'  To  Paris  !     How  soon  ?  ' 

'  In  ten  days'  time ;  as  soon  as  Alfred's  holidays  are 
over.' 

*  There  is  some  business  about  my  father's  property  to 
be  settled  with  my  uncle  Berners — some  papers  that  he 
and  mamma  must  sign  together.  He  has  persuaded  them 
to  come  and  meet  him  at  Paris  on  the  20th  of  September, 
and  so  they  have  written  for  the  girls.' 

'  Very  unlucky  indeed  ! '  said  Herbert  musingly.  '  Of 
all  the  places  that  could  be  advised  for  taking  Emmelinie 
to,  with  her  excitable  temperament,  such  as  even  in  our 
quiet  life  we  can  hardly  keep  sober  enough  not  to  give 
great  fear  of  reaction — and  what  a  reaction  it  will  be  at 
Paris  !  and  missing  the  Confirmation  again  !  Constance, 
it  is  impossible  !  it  must  be  put  off.  I'll  write  to  your 
mother — I'll  go  to  London.' 


liti^  THE    CASTLK    BUILDEILflf. 

'  The  girls  arc  vehement  against  going  before  the  Con- 
firmation !  '  said  Constance.  '  Poor  Emmie  was  nearly 
frantic  at  first,  saying,  she  knew  it  would  be  so,  and  she 
had  forfeited  the  cliance  of  ever  being  Confirmed.  The 
worst  of  it  is,  that  I  don't  know  how  far  we  should  be 
justified  in  detaining  them,  if  my  mother  wishes  for  them ; 
and  there  has  been  a  degree  of  neglect  of  her  that  makes 
one  afraid  not  to  make  her  the  first  object.  But  I  can't 
judge  in  the  least  what  is  right;  you  must,  Herbert.' 

'I  can't  see  what  is  to  be  done  !  If  it  was  only  Kate, 
and  yet  to  make  her  give  it  up  !  But  why  should  not  we 
remonstrate?     Why  can't  they  put  off  the  journey?  ' 

'  I  should  not  think  they  could.  You  know  uncle 
Berners  is  not  a  very  easy  person  to  deal  with,  and  it 
would  not  do  to  miss  an  appointment  with  him.' 

'  The  Confirmation  day  is  the  1st  of  October!  I  see 
how  it  can  be  managed,  Constance,  if  to  Paris  the  girls 
must  go  ;  I  would  take  them  the  next  week  ;  I  could  go 
there  and  back  between  two  Sundays.' 

'  And  what  a  cold  you  would  catch  ! ' 

*  0,  I  would  take  care  !     It  would  be  a  holiday.' 

'  If  they  would  consent  to  that,  it  would  be  the  very 
thing,  and  Kate  is  really  steadied ;  I  don't  think  London 
hurt  her  in  the  least ;  and,  as  to  Emmie,  she  is  made  to 
have  ups-and-downs,  and  all  the  religious  teaching  we  had 
at  school  encouraged  feeling  rather  than  action  ;  but  I  do 
believe  she  is  learning  a  calmer  tone  under  your  manage- 
ment. She  would  be  on  her  guard,  now  she  knows  her 
danger,  and  has  had  more  definite  teaching.' 

'  So  you  think  that  might  answer.' 

*  It  ought,'  said  Constance,  '  yet — if  they  are  necessary 
to  mamma  for  the  journey — I  don't  know  how  to  judge — 
I  seem  to  have  missed  all  experience  of  a  daughter's 
duty.' 

'  It  is  a  very  difficult  question,'  said  Herbert, '  and  one 
I  don't  like  to  decide.  We  might  be  teaching  them  that 
to  sacrifice  is  better  than  to  obey ;  we  might,  on  our  own 
responsibility  be  bringing  them  to  these  higher  privileges 
at  the  cost  of  a  sin,  and  before  they  are  fit  for  them.' 

They  walked  on  in  silence,   till    Lord    Herbert  ex- 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  289 

claimed,  '  I'll  tell  you  what  we  will  do,  Constance  !  Some 
of  us  can  go  to  London  for  a  day,  and  settle  it  with  Lady 
Willoughby.  We  shall  be  able  to  perceive  better  how 
much  she  really  wants  them,  and  what  will  be  right  for 
them  to  do." 

Emmeline  was  even  more  anxious  about  the  Confirma- 
tion than  Kate,  and  her  distress  was  extreme.  She  ex- 
pected that  Lord  Herbert  would  absolutely  oppose  their 
going,  and  intended  to  be  very  heroic  in  following  his  ad- 
vice ;  and  she  was  disappointed  to  find  that  his  views 
were  undecided  between  the  two  duties.  She  proceeded 
to  fall  into  an  agony  about  its  being  her  fate  to  miss 
Confirmations ;  she  had  once,  twice  thrown  away  her 
chance,  and  Kate's  too,  and  now  she  had  forfeited  these 
privileges  for  ever,  and  there  was  no  hope  for  her. 

This  was  a  strain  Lord  Herbert  never  allowed  her  to 
continue,  and  he  silenced  it,  saying,  '  You  threw  the  op- 
portunity away  then,  but  you  do  not  know  that  you  have 
lost  it  now.' 

'  0,  I  am  sure  I  have  !  ' 

'  And  if  you  really  have,  which  is  not  certain,  it  will 
be  not  that  you  have  forfeited  it  for  ever,  but  that  you  re- 
quire a  further  probation.  It  may  be  that  more  cJaasten* 
ing  of  temper,  more  perseverance  is  required  of  you,  be- 
fore you  are  accepted,  and  that  in  order  that  you  may  the 
more  esteem  the  privileges  you  once  did  not  rate  highly 
enough,  you  are  kept  from  them  for  a  time.' 

Emmeline  burst  into  tears,  and  said  it  had  been  her 
fault,  and  she  deserved  to  lose  every  thing.  Kate  took 
far  more  than  her  share  of  the  blame,  and  it  was  with 
some  difficulty  that  Constance  soothed  them,  when  Her- 
bert had  left  them  to  her,  saying  that  he  would  not  speak 
to  them  on  the  subject  any  more  till  they  had  brought 
themselves  to  a  more  temperate  frame. 

They  did  not  meet  him  again  till  just  before  the  ser- 
vice, when  Kate  contrived  to  walk  with  him  across  the 
churchyard.  '  One  question,  Herbert,'  said  she,  hesi- 
tating. '  If  we  were  ill,  or  anything^  could  we  receive 
the  Holy  Communion  as  we  are  now?  ' 

*  Certainly,  Kate,'  said  he,  '  there  never  has  been  any 
13 


290  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

doubt  that  those  who  are  willing  and  desirous  to  be  Con- 
firmed, may  be  admitted  in  case  of  emergency.' 

*  That  is  a  comfort,'  said  Kate.  *  Only  we  are  going 
to  a  foreign  country,  and  after  the  only  death  we  have 
seen,  I  don't  know  how  we  can  dare  to  reckon  on  time  ! ' 

It  was  settled  that  Lord  Herbert  should  take  Emme- 
line  to  town  on  Monday  morning,  and  return  on  Tuesday, 
after  arranging  with  Lady  Willoughby.  He  talked  of 
taking  both  sisters,  but  they  begged  that  one  might  be 
left  with  Constance  as  a  hostage. 

By  that  time  Emmeline  was  in  a  more  rational  state, 
and  liked  the  idea  of  being  escorted  to  Paris  by  Herbert 
after  the  Confirmation.  Going  abroad  was  an  old  castle 
of  hers,  she  was  eager  about  the  sights  of  Paris,  and 
meant  to  show  her  sincerity  there,  and  it  would  be  a  great 
deal  pleasanter  than  Cheltenham.  So  with  renewed 
spirits,  she  -set  off,  bc^iring  an  ofi'er  from  Constance  to  take 
charge  of  the  children,  if  one  was  to  be  left  behind,  to 
keep  it  at  the  Parsonage ;  if  more,  to  settle  them  in 
lodgings  with  Miss  Townsend,  and  especially  inviting 
Janet. 

They  arrived  about  noon,  and  found  Lady  Willoughby 
alone.  Their  plan  was  eagerly  told,  and  her  consent  wa& 
more  readily  given  than  they  expected ;  she  was  so  very 
much  obliged  to  Lord  Herbert,  and  she  only  hoped  that 
dear  Constance  would  accompany  them,  and  then,  perhaps, 
they  might  all  spend  the  winter  together  so  agreeably  at 
Paris,  quite  a  little  society  among  themselves.  Herbert 
smiled,  and  went  on  to  Constance's  offer  for  the  children. 
Lady  Willoughby  was  pleased,  and  said  she  thought  that 
Janet  would  be  very  troublesome  on  the  journey,  and  dear 
Constance  was  very  kind.  It  was  ver}''  annoying,  but  here 
was  that  brother  of  Miss  Townsend's  going  to  sail  again, 
and  Janet  and  Alfred  had  actually  come  down  to  ask  leave 
for  her  to  go  home  apd  see  him — very  improper  of  her  to 
let  the  children  make  such  a  request,  when  she  must  know 
it  could  not  be  granted. 

Lady  Willoughby  was  interrupted,  for  in  rushed  both 
the  boys  ;  Alfred  in  the  last  half-year,  having  grown  into 
a  fine  independent  school-boy. 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  291 

'  I  say,  Emmie,'  said  Alfred,  pulling  her  into  the 
window,  '  I  am  glad  you  are  come,  only  it  ought  to  be 
Kate.  It  has  been  horrid  without  you — Edwin  is  such  a 
bore,  and  will  be  till  he  goes  to  school,  Janet  and  I  have 
no  peace  for  him.  Get  along,  Eddy,  Emmie  and  I  are 
speaking  to  each  other — don't  poke  your  nose  into  every 
thing — now,  Emmie,  you  must  stay  and  look  after  the 
children,  for  Miss  Townseud's  sailor  brother  is  going  to 
sea,  and  papa  and  mamma  won't  let  her  go  home  to  see 
him,  and  what's  worse,  they  will  say  she  put  us  up  to  ask 
leave,  though  I  told  them  it  was  all  Janet's  doing  of  her 
own  head.' 

Emmeline  looked  towards  Lord  Herbert,  and  heard 
him  proposing  that  Janet  should  go  home  with  them,  but 
this  was  left  to  be  determined  till  Sir  Francis  came  back, 
and  in  the  meantime  Herbert  set  out  on  an  expedition  to 
order  coppers  and  boilers,  for  the  wash-houses  that  were  to 
free  the  Churchyard  from  its  white  drapery. 

When  he  was  gone,  it  appeared  that  Lady  Willoughby 
was  in  an  unusually  complacent  mood ;  she  thought  dear 
Lord  Herbert  looking  much  better,  and  it  was  very  kind 
in  him  and  dear  Constance  to  wish  to  keep  the  girls 
longer,  and  to  take  Janet.  It  would  be  a  very  comfort- 
able arrangement,  it  was  never  pleasant  to  tra^-el  with  a 
large  party,  especially  abroad,  so  troublesome  to  find  ac- 
commodation, so  liable  to  interruption,  it  would  be  much 
better  to  get  settled  first,  before  dear  Emmie  ind  dear 
Kate  joined  them. 

Presently  Sir  Francis  came  in,  but  it  did  not  appear 
that  the  proposal  was  equally  agreeable  to  him.  He  was 
so  restless  and  fidgetty,  that  he  could  not  bear  to  be  tied 
down  to  remain  in  one  place;  he  said  testily  that  they 
should  be  leaving  Paris  by  that  time  most  likely ;  they 
might  have  left  it  already;  it  was  nonsense  to  trouble 
Lord  Herbert ;  only  further  nuisance  and  expense.  The 
girls  might  do  as  they  pleased,  but  it  must  be  Paris  at 
once,  or  not  at  all.     Emmeline  could  not  hesitate. 

'  Very  well,'  Sir  Francis  said,  '  'tis  your  own  loss. 
You  have  had  the  ofi'er,  remember  that,  and  don't  be  beg- 
ging us  to  wait  for  you  after  this  Confirmation.' 


292  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

'  0  no,  certainly  not.' 

'  I  can't  think  what  all  the  young  people  in  these  days 
are  after!'  continued  Sir  Francis,  'but  miod,  you  have 
your  free  choice.' 

'  Yes,  entirely,  thank  you.' 

'  And  don't  be  in  too  great  a  hurry,  my  dear,'  said 
Lady  Willougliby.     '  Consult  with  Katie  first.' 

'  Kate's  mind  is  made  up,  mamma,  as  well  as  mine. 
Our  only  doubt  was  whether  you  wanted  us.' 

'  Thank  you,  my  love,'  said  Lady  Willoughby,  influ- 
enced, perhaps,  by  a  recent  discovery  that  Henry  Allen 
was  at  Paris.  '  Of  course  I  am  always  glad  to  have  you 
with  me,  but  then  there  must  be  great  advantages  in  being 
at  Lord  Herbert's,  and  meeting  his  connexions.  I  don't 
know  whether  that  is  not  quite  as  well  for  you  as  being  in 
more  society,  and  indeed  I  am  always  too  much  of  an  in- 
valid to  go  about  with  you,  as  much  as  would  be  required 
of  me  at  Paris.' 

'  We  should  not  care  about  going  out.' 

'  0  but,  my  love,  it  would  look  so  strange,  if  I  did  not 
take  you  out.  Of  course  nothing  else  could  be  expected, 
and  3^ou  know  you  must  not  let  yourself  be  made  religious 
and  melancholy.  I  am  only  afraid  they  are  that  kind  of 
people.' 

'  It  is  the  merriest  house  I  ever  was  in,  mamma,'  said 
Emmeline,  smiling. 

'  Well,  it  may  be  all  right.  I  am  glad  you  should  be 
there,  and  you  are  both  full  young  for  Paris  gaieties,  so 
perhaps  it  will  answer  best.  Don't  you  think  so.  Sir 
Francis  ?  ' 

'  As  you  please,  only  don't  let  them  say  it  is  my 
doing.' 

Emmeline  had  not  expected  to  be  given  up  so  easily, 
and  was  mortified  at  not  being  more  wanted,  but  she  be- 
gan to  speak  of  Janet.  Free  consent  was  given ;  they 
might  take  her  home  at  once ;  and  Miss  Townsend,  after 
staying  till  the  departure  of  Alfred  for  school,  should  join 
her  at  Dearport,  whilst  Edwin  and  Cecilia  were  placed 
"jnder  the  charge  of  a  French  bonne. 

Janet  was  much  pleased  to  go  to  sister  Constance,  and 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  293 

was  even  unselfisli  enough  to  spare  Miss  Townsond.  Her 
chief  care  was  for  Florcntina  Matilda,  her  immense  wax- 
doll,  a  birth-day  present  from  her  papa,  and  whom  Janet 
regarded  in  the  light  of  a  protegee  persecuted  by  both  the 
brothers,  and  coveted  by  Cecilia,  so  as  to  be  exposed  to  so 
many  perils  that  Janet's  tender  care  for  her  welfare  would 
only  allow  her  to  enjoy  her  society  in  her  refuge,  Miss 
Townsend's  room.  Emmeline's  promise  that  Florcntina 
should  be  welcome,  was  the  only  thing  wanting  to  make 
Janet's  satisfaction  complete.  It  was  not  till  very  late 
that  Lord  Herbert  came  in,  but  Emmeline  contrived  to 
speak  to  him,  to  tell  him  that  she  and  Kate  were  to  stay 
at  home  altogether. 

'  Well,  Emmie,  I  am  very  sorry  for  your  disappoint 
ment.' 

'  Sir  Francis  will  not  wait  for  us.     He  says  now  o 
not  at  all ;   I  sujipose  it  is  a  punishment  for  our  delaying 
the  Confirmation,  for  I  should  have  liked  it  very  much.' 

'  And  you  are  sure  your  mother  does  not  want  you  ?  ' 

'  I  am  sure  she  does  not  care,'  said  Emmeline,  sadly. 
'  That  is  my  fault  too,  I  suppose.' 

'  I  am  sorry,'  said  Lord  Herbert  again,  '  that  you 
should  miss  the  pleasure,  but  perhaps  it  might  have  un- 
settled you  again,  and  I  am  glad  you  should  have  the  op- 
portunity of  testing  your  sincerity.' 

'  Then  I  have  none,  Herbert,  for  when  I  found  they 
did  not  want  me  particularly,  and  heard  how  pleasant 
their  plans  sounded,  if  it  had  not  been  for  very  shame,  I 
should  have  asked  to  go  !  how  can  I  be  in  earnest  ? ' 

'  Don't  torment  yourself  with  motive  picking.  It  is 
rightly  settled,  and  that  is  enough.  What  about  Janet  ? 
Does  she  come  with  us  ?  Ah  !  there  she  is.  Come  here, 
little  woman,  are  you  coming  to  pay  sister  Constance  a 
visit  to-morrow  ?  ' 

'  May  I  take  Florcntina  Matilda  in  the  railroad  with 
me  ?  for  she  won't  go  into  a  box.  I  should  like  to  come 
very  much,  if  she  may.' 

The  Aliens  dined  with  them,  and  in  the  evening 
Susan  came  to  her.  '  My  dear  Emmie,  what  is  the  mean- 
ing of  this  ?  You  don't  mean  that  you  are  not  coming 
to  Paris  1 ' 


294  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

'  Indeed  I  do.' 

'  What,  arc  you  afraid  of  revolutions  ?  ' 

'  0  no,  that  is  not  it.' 

'  Come,  jou  won't  be  so  silly  as  to  stay  at  homo. 
How  stupid  you  will  think  yourself  all  your  life  for  hav- 
ing missed  such  a  chance  ! ' 

^  I  can't  help  it,'  said  Emmeline,  as  Susan  began  a 
glowing  description  of  the  galleries  of  Versailles. 

'  And  we  should  have  such  a  winter  there.  Did  not 
you  know  that  we  are  all  coming?  Henry  is  there,  find- 
ing apartments  for  us.  Mamma  would  take  you  to  every 
thing.  Come,  Emmeline,  I  assure  you  it  is  very  silly 
of  you.' 

*  Mamma  thinks  us  too  young.' 

'  Too  young !  You  are  going  on  for  nineteen,  are  not 
you?  Besides,  Emmie,  let  me  give  you  a  little  bit 
of  counsel.  Don't  you,'  she  whispered  archly,  '  don't 
you  let  yourself  be  thrust  into  the  background  because 
Lady  Willoughby  does  not  care  to  show  two  such  tall 
daughters.' 

'  I  am  ^ot  kept  back,'  returned  Emmeline,  gravely ; 
'  we  were  quite  at  liberty  to  act  as  we  pleased,  and  it  is 
our  choice  to  stay  with  Constance.' 

'  Henry  will  be  so  vexed,'  said  Susan.  '  He  was 
reckoning  so  much  on  going  over  the  Louvre  with  you.' 

Emmeline  was  secretly  vexed  ;  but  since  she  had  been 
more  occupied,  Henry  Allen's  name  had  begun  to  lose 
its  attraction,  and  her  vanity  was  only  slightly,  tickled. 

'  I  declare,'  proceeded  Susan,  '  Henry  will  be  quite 
mortified  ;  he  will  so  question  me  about  you !  I  say, 
Emmie,  I  am  sure  Lord  Herbert  has  got  a  handsome 
curate.' 

Emmeline  was  so  disgusted  at  the  vulgarity  of  the 
question,  that  she  hardly  deigned  to  answer,  and  wondered 
how  she  could  ever  have  made  a  friend  of  Miss  Allen.  Susan 
took  her  reluctance  for  confusion,  and  persecuted  her  all 
the  evening.  SlrtThad  at  first  been  flattered,  but  soon 
grew  provoked,  and  sensible  what  she  had  brought  on 
herself  by  having  allowed  this  pert,  vulgar-minded  girl 
to  assume  so  much  power  over  her.     Worse  than  all  was 


THE    CASTLE   BUILDERS.  .  295 

the  being  asked  whether  Lord  Herbert  was  afraid  to 
trust  her  in  a  '  Catholic  country,'  and  the  last  words, 
as  she  bade  her  good-night  were,  a  declaration  that 
the  Dearport  curates  had  better  keep  out  of  Henry's 
way. 

Susan  little  knew  that  she  had  forever  disgusted 
Emmeline  with  the  very  name  of  her  brother,  shocked 
her  with  the  idea  of  having  given  an  opening  for  such 
impertinent  speeches,  caused  her  to  regard  her  incipient 
flirtation  with  little  short  of  loathing,  and  entirely  con- 
soled her  for  not  going  to  Paris,  by  the  reflection  that 
she  should  have  to  meet  him  there. 

The  next  morning  was  spent  by  Lord  Herbert  in  con- 
ference with  an  architect,  about  the  first  of  his  proposed 
Churches ;  by  Emmeline  in  collecting  everything,  she 
ever  wished  to  see  again,  from  the  house  in  London ; 
and  by  Janet  in  a  very  aff"ectionate  leave-taking  of 
Alfred,  who  had  patronized  her,  and  made  her  his  com- 
panion in  such  a  way  as  to  compensate  for  his  boyish 
tyranny. 

Emmeline  felt  that  she  had  much  to  atone  for  when 
she  perceived  her  entire  uselessness  in  the  family,  and 
knew  that  she  would  be  missed  by  no  one.  When  she 
met  them  again  she  would  try  to  make  herself  loved  ; 
in  the  meantime,  there  could  be  only  repentance. 

After  luncheon  they  departed  with  many  kisses  from 
Lady  Willoughby,  and  messages  of  love  to  dear  Con- 
stance and  dear  Kate,  and  a  repetition  from  Sir  Francis 
that  it  was  all  Emmeline's  own  doing. 

Kate  was  honestly  much  disappointed.  On  no  con- 
sideration would  she  have  missed  the  Confirmation  :  but 
she  would  have  much  enjoyed  the  tour,  and  had  fully 
reckoned  on  going  in  October.  However,  she  soon  con- 
soled herself  by  thinking  that  they  would  have  so  much 
the  more  time  with  Constance,  and  should  not  miss 
the  visit  to  Eowthorpe  in  the  autumn,  which  Lord  Lid- 
desdale  and  Lady  Frances  took  care  should  not  be  for- 
gotten. 

Kate  had  better  consolation  in  a  letter  from  Mr.  Wil- 
ioughby, — such  a  letter  as  made  her  eyes  overflow  with 


296  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

the  soft  bright  tears  of  gratification,  humility,  and  tendei 
afi"ection. 

Constance  must  share  the  letter,  for  the  three  sisters 
were  again  as  united  in  sympathy  as  they  used  to  be. 

And  Constance,  when  she  had  coaxed  Kate  into  per- 
mission to  show  it  to  Herbert,  told  him  that  she  was 
convinced  that  the  secret  desire  of  Katie's  heart  was  to 
have  uncle  Willoughby  present  at  her  Confirmation. 

'  I  should  like  to  ask  him  here  very  much  indeed,' 
said  Lord  Herbert,  '  but,  my  dear  Constance,  have  you 
reflected  that  '•  twelve  feet  square"  is  not  made  of  Indian 
rubber,  or  do  you  happen  to  have  a  few  portable  bed- 
rooms in  your  pocket?  ' 

'  0,  I  can  manage  ! ' 

'  After  these  magical  words,  I  have  no  more  to  say.' 

'Nothing,  need  be  done  but  putting  up  a  bed  in  the 
study,  and  as  to  "twelve  foot,"  we  shall  never  have  every 
one  in  it  at  the  same  time.' 

'  Very  well,  I  don't  want  to  be  persuaded,  for  my 
own  sake  almost  as  much  as  Kate's.  Ever  since  Frank's 
visit  I  have  a  great  desire  to  know  his  uncle,  and  the 
good  ways  that  have  come  down  unbroken  through  so 
many  years.' 

Kate  knew  nothing  of  the  invitation  till  Lord  Herbert 
put  into  her  hand  the  answer,  the  beginning  and  end, 
so  formal  and  old-fashioned,  and  the  middle  so  like 
uncle  Willoughby  himself,  full  of  simplicity  and  warmth 
of  heart,  showing  how  entirely  the  old  and  the  young 
clergymen  understood  each  other. 

If  ever  Kate  was  happy  in  her  life,  it  was  when  she 
sat  at  work  with  her  sisters,  listening  to  him  and  her 
brother-in-law,  talking  over  their  parish  work,  and  Her- 
bert's plans,  in  the  full  confidence  and  sympathy  of 
like-minded  men,  '  in  fervent  old  age,  and  youth  serene.' 
She  perceived  that  her  brother  and  sister's  kindness 
to  her  had  been  the  means  of  procuring  for  Herbert 
such  a  friend  and  counsellor  as  he  most  valued  and 
esteemed,  and  of  her  placing  her  dear  old  uncle  in 
the  way  of  a  new  friendship,  and  interest  to  lighten 
up  the  latter  jears  of  his  secluded  and  now  bereaved 
life. 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  297 

Uncle  AVillougliby  told  her  that  it  was  such  a  refresh- 
ment as  she  would  understand,  when  she  was  his  age, 
to  meet  such  a  young  man  as  Lord  Herbert ;  and  on 
the  other  hand,  Constance  told  her,  that  she  had  never 
seen  her  husband  more  pleased  with  any  one,  and  that 
Mr.  Willoughby  had  cheered  him  greatly  respecting 
his  own  discouragements  and  the  prospects  of  the  Church. 

That  uncle  Willoughby  much  disliked  his  brother's 
journey  to  Paris  was  evident,  and  he  had  a  still  greater 
aversion  to  Edwin's  being  under  a  French  honne ;  but 
he  was  much  rejoiced  to  find  Janet  in  such  good  quarters, 
and  indeed  the  sunshine  of  the  Parsonage  at  Dearport 
seemed  to  have  gained  such  an  influence  over  the  little 
maiden,  as  to  make  her  almost  an  engaging  child.  She 
was  of  such  a  disposition  as  to  be  more  at  ease  when 
with  grown  companions  than  with  children,  and  in  this 
atmosphere  of  wise  and  tender  kindness,  her  better  quali- 
ties expanded,  her  affections  unfolded,  and  her  spirits 
mounted  till  she  hardly  seemed  the  same  child.  The  only 
playfellow  she  required,  when  her  sisters  could  not  at- 
tend to  her,  was  Florentina  Matilda,  though  apparently 
that  important  charge  gave  her  much  anxiety,  judging 
by  her  numerous  lectures,  in  the  finest  words  at  com- 
mand, respecting  her  behaviour  to  Mr.  Kedlands  and 
Mr.  West,  who  had  taken  so  much  notice  of  her,  that  in 
the  words  Kate  once  overheard,  'it  has  completely 
overbalanced  your  discretion,  and  worked  a  revolution 
in  your  intellectual  organs.'  And  when  Kate  looked  at 
the  grave  sallow  face,  and  earnest  shake  of  the  head  of 
the  little  monitor,  and  the  composed  waxen  countenance 
and  fixed  staring  blue  eyes  of  the  pupil,  she  could  not 
help  laughing  to  such  an  extent,  that  she  was  obliged  to 
run  away.  And  it  was  to  be  feared  that  the  disorder  of 
Florentina's  intellectual  organs  would  be  completed  by 
uncle  Willoughby  1 

A  present  of  Juliet's  last  new  work  was  sent  to  Em- 

meline,  by  Mr.  Willoughby,  who    said    she    had    turned 

her  attention  more   than  previously  to  the  poor  people 

at  Dumblethwayte,  and  often  gave  up  a  great  deal  of 

13* 


298  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

time,  and  walked  long  distances  to  teach  at  the  school, 
or  to  attend  to  Frank's  friends  in  the  village. 

Kate  had  almost  finished  knitting  uncle  "Willoughhy's 
Grace  a  warm  grey- worsted  shawl  for  the  winter,  and 
only  waited  to  know  whether  the  border  must  be  black, 
or  might  be  scarlet.  No  one  will  doubt  that  uncle  Wil- 
loughhy's look  of  delight  and  gratitude,  repaid  Kate 
for  having  continued  it  steadily  when  the  double  wool 
was  a  great  deal  too  hot  to  be  pleasant.  Janet  was  so 
stimulated  by  it,  as  to  forsake  the  knitted  polka  for  Flo- 
rentina,  ia  which  no  one's  patience  but  Constance's  would 
have  endured  helping  her  so  far,  and  to  set  about  a  pair 
of  scarlet  muffatees  for  Grace,  that  there  was  a  reason- 
able hope  of  her  completing  in  time,  as  she  was  a  very 
skilful  little  workwoman  for  her  time  of  life. 

The  1st  of  October  had  come,  and  the  cards  bearing 
the  words  '  Examined  and  approved,  Herbert  Somerville,' 
were  given  and  received.  How  differently  were  they 
looked  upon,  from  the  tickets  that  Emmeline  and  Kate 
had  kept  in  their  desks  for  the  last  twenty  months. 

'  Examined  and  approved  ! '  How  many  reflections 
must  pass  through  the  mind  of  each  thoughtful  catechu- 
men, as  those  words  are  presented.  Approved  by  him 
who  watches  for  their  souls ;  approved — true — but  he 
can  know  but  the  outward  appearance,  and  there  is  One 
who  looketh  at  the  heart !  And,  oh  !  is  that  heart  so 
sincere,  so  faithful,  and  so  humble,  that  it  may  indeed 
trust  that  it  may  come  near  to  the  Hand  stretched  out  to 
bless? 

Kepentance,  trust,  steadfast  purpose,  and  loving  hope, 
these  are  all  that  we  can  bring,  in  the  full  consciousness 
of  our  own  weakness,  and  of  the  all-sufficient  Grace. 

Such  dependence  was,  as  Lord  Herbert  trusted,  in 
his  sisters,  and  he  was  glad  that  Emmeline,  though 
evidently  feeling  deeply,  showed  no  undue  excitement. 
There  were  many  others  to  whom  his  attention  must  be 
given,  and  the  house  was  necessarily  the  scene  of  much 
coming  and  going,  and  of  considerable  preparation  for 
the  reception  of  the  Bishop,  and  it  was  well  that  the 
sisters  could  be  placed  under  the  charge  of  Mr.  Wil- 
loughby. 


THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS.  299 

He  took  them  to  walk  in  the  Bayhurst  grounds, 
among  trees,  yet  unstripped  by  the  wind,  but  their  foliage 
glowing  with  autumnal  tints,  the  sun  shining  on  them 
with  clear  though  sober  brightness,  and  the  sea  gleam- 
ing through  their  boughs.  The  stillness  of  the  green  lawns 
was  more  noticeable  after  leaving  the  busy  town.  There 
they  walked,  and  spoke  of  Frank,  dwelling  on  him  with 
peaceful  tenderness,  as  Emmeline  had  never  hitherto 
been  able  to  do,  going  through  his  happy,  self-ruling 
course,  a  pure  bright  stream  through  the  school-boy  life 
that  had  been  his  world,  of  the  trial  so  well  used,  and  the 
joy  and  peace  that  had  been  his  to  the  end,  even  among 
the  surging  waves,  that  were  the  means  of  his  entering 
into  the  haven  where  he  would  be. 

In  quietness  they  talked,  with  voices  hushed,  and 
without  tears,  for  the  two  sisters,  as  well  as  the  old  man, 
felt  that  they  must  speak  with  reverence  of  that  repose 
where  he  now  was,  and  in  their  present  frame,  close  to 
one  of  the  moments  when  the  things  of  the  hidden  world 
have  a  perceptible  effect  on  the  outer  life,  there  was  not 
room  for  one  selfish  longing  for  his  presence.  The  whole 
scene  was  gravely  still  in  autumn  beauty,  the  sea  scarcely 
heaved,  and  the  'path  of  glory'  was  shed  along  its  sur- 
face by  the  sun  ;  and  solemn  peaceful  awe  rested  on  the 
hearts  of  the  sisters,  a  frame  of  thought — 

'Soft — for  He  drew  nigh 

Who  moveth  nil  things  quietly' 

Yet  grave  and  deep  ;  for  to  His  sight 

Heaven's  secrets  are  undazzling  light  • 

Content ;  for  He  on  healing  wings 

The  promise  of  the  Father  brings  : 

And  Comfort  is  His  name ;  yet  so 

That  in  His  promptings  here  below 
A  wistful  uncomplaining  sadness  still 
Must  deeply  blend  with  joy's  adoring  thrill.' 

In  such  silence  they  went  home.  The  sisters  went 
to  their  own  room,  and  still  in  silence  knelt  together. 
Constance  came  in,  and  herself  arranged  their  white  veils, 
kissing  each  of  them.  With  her  and  their  uncle  they 
walked  to  Church,  and  were  placed  among  the  many 
maidens,  with  white  covered  heads,  and  grave,  modest  faces. 


300  THE    CASTLE    BUILDERS. 

And  now  the  time  is  come.  The  demand  is  made, 
to  be  answered  once  and  for  ever,  whether  they  renew 
the  vow  of  their  Baptism,  and  take  on  themselves  the 
promise  they  never  can  unsay,  engaging  in  their  own 
persons  to  fulfil  the  j^^'^'fict  law. 

'I  do.' 

Multitudes  of  clear  young  trembling  voices  make  an- 
swer in  one  note.  '  I  do.'  Wavering  unstable  Emme- 
line,  unreflecting,  easily-led  Katherine,  how  can  you  dare 
to  bind  yourselves  to  such  an  awful  covenant  with  Him 
who  is  Justice  itself? 

Hear  the  answer. 

'  Our  help  is  in  the  name  of  the  Lord ; 

Who  hath  made  heaven  and  earth.' 

And  now  their  brother  in  his  white  robe  stands  at  the 
entrance  of  the  Chancel,  and  signs  to  them,  and  his  face 
seems,  in  one  look  of  love  and  earnest  hope,  to  sum  up 
all  that  he  has  striven  so  long  to  infuse  into  them. 

They  kneel  on  that  Altar  step  where  they  never  have 
before  approached,  and  the  Apostolic  hand  is  on  their 
heads ;  the  blessing  is  spoken,  that  unspeakable  Gift  im- 
parted, that,  unless  they  fall  away,  will  increase  daily 
more  and  more,  till  they  come  to  the  everlasting  kingdom. 

Sunday  is  come,  and  again  Emmeline  and  Katherine 
kneel  on  that  step,  and  now  it  is  beside  their  sister,  while 
their  brother  and  uncle  admit  them  to  the  partaking  of 
that  Meat  and  Drink  indeed,  which  can  preserve  their 
souls  to  everlasting  life. 

Here,  then,  in  the  safest  and  holiest  place  on  earth, 
let  us  leave  them,  trusting  that  the  grace  now  given  and 
ever  renewed,  may  never  be  cast  away  by  their  own  sin, 
that  it  may  stablish,  strengthen,  and  settle  them,  guard 
them,  and  be  with  them,  wherever  their  future  lot  may 
be  cast.  So  might  earthly  visions  rest  in  the  sure  homes 
and  peaceable  habitations,  which  are  but  the  portals  to 
the  mansions  above. 


THE    END. 


y  Of  . 


D.  Appleton  d  Co*»  Publicattom. 


WORKS  OF  FICTION. 


nVIiss    Seweil's   "Wox-lts. 

Tfu  EarVt  Daughter.     12mo Cloth,  $1   00 

Amy  Herhert.     A  Tale.     12mo Cloth,  1  CO 

Gertrude.     A  Tale.     12mo Cloth,  ICO 

Laneton  Parsonage.     A  Tale.    3  vols.     12mo Cloth,  3  OU 

Margaret  Fercival.     2  vols Cloth,  2  CO 

Experience  of  Life.     12aio Cloth,  1  00 

Walter  Zorimer,  and  Other  Talcs.  12mo.  Illus Cloth,  1  00 

Katharine  Ashton.     2  vols.     12mo Cloth,  2  00 

Journal  Kept  for  the  Children  of  a    Village  Schcol. . .  .Gloih.^  1  25 

Ivors.      A  Story  of  English  Country  Life.      2  vols Cloth,  2  00 

Ursula.     A  Tale   of  Country  Life.     2  vols.      12mo Cloth,  2  CO 

Cleve-  Hall.     A  Tale.     12mo Cloth,  1  -'^ 


Eixiile    Soiavestre's    "Works, 

TJie  Atne  Philosopher  in  Paris.      12mo 68 

Leaves  from  a  Family  Journal.     12rao 1  QO 


j^klice  IB.  Haven's  "Works. 

Lots  and  Gain ;  or,  Margaret's  Home 1  00 

The  Coopers ;  or,  Getting  Under  Way 1  00 


nMiss   YorLge's  "Works. 

Heir  of  Redely ffe.     2  vols.     12mo , Cloth, 

Heartsease.     2  vols.       12ino Cloth, 

TJie  Daisy  Chain  ;  or,  Aspirations.     2  vols.     12mo Cloth, 

The  Castle  Builders.     12mo Cloth, 

Richard  the  Fearless Cloth, 

The  Two  Guardians Cloth, 

Kenneth  ;  or,  the  Rear  Guard Cloth, 

Lances  of  Lynwood.     ICmo Cloth, 

Dtpevor  Terrace  ;  or,  The  Clue  of  Life      2  vols.  = Cloth, 

^Beechcroft.      12m<> Cloth, 

Hopes  and  Fears.     2  vols Cloth, 

"  "  Cheap  edition Paper,  r, i 

The  Young  Step-Mother.     2  vols Clutli.       2  C'( 


2 

CO 

2 

00 

2 

uo 

1 

00 

7'") 

1 

(  0 

1 

(  (1 

1 

(.' 

2 

(.; 

I 

f! 

2 

OC' 

Any  o[  the  Books  mentioned  in  this  list  will  be  sent  post-paid  to 
any  part  of  the  United  States  within  3,000  miles,  on  receipt  of  the 
money. 


Itfto  §0olis  aulr  |li;lu  (KMtioits 


PUBLISHED   BY 


D.  APPLETON  &   COMPANY. 


The  Housekeeper's  Encyclopedia  of  Use- 
ful Information  for  the  Housekeeper  in  all  Branches 
of  Cooking  and  Domestic  Economy ;  containing  the 
first  Scientific  and'  Reliable  Rules  for  putting  up  all 
kinds  of  Hermetically-sealed  Fruits,  with  or  without 
Sugar,  in  Tin  Cans  or  Common  Bottles.  Also, 
Rules  for  Preserving  Fruits  in  American  and  French 
Styles,  with  Tried  Receipts  for  Making  Domestic 
Wines,  Catsups,  Syrups,  Cordials,  etc.  ;  and  Prac- 
tical Directions  for  the  Cultivation  of  Vegetables. 
Fruits,  and  Flowers,  Destruction  of  Insects,  etc.  By 
Mrs.  E.  F.  Haskell.     1  thick  vol.     12mo.     $1  50. 

The  Life  and  Writings  of  the  Rt.  Rev. 

Geo.  AVashington  Doane,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  for  Twenty* 
seven  years  Bishop  of  New  Jersey.  In  4  vols.  8vo. 
Containing  his  Poetical  Works,  Sermons,  and  Misceh 
laneous  Writings ;  with  a  Memoir  by  his  son,  Wii, 
CuoswELL  Doane.  Four  volumes.  8vo.  Price 
^12 


PUBLISHED   BY   D.    ArPTETON   AIH)   COMPANY. 

On    the   Origin   of    Species   by   Means 

of  Natural  Selection ;  or,  the  Preservation  of  favored 
Races  in  the  Struggle  for  Life.  By  Charles  Dar- 
win, M.A.,  F.R.S.^F.G.S.,  &c.,  &c.  1  vol.  12mo. 
With  copious  Index.     Cloth,  $1  50. 

After  the  Icebergs  with  a  Painter.     By 

Louis  L.  Noble.  1  vol.  12mo.  With  Illustra- 
tions.    $1  15. 

The  Manufacture  of  Photogenic  or  Hy- 
dro-carbon Oils,  from  Coal  and  other  Bituminous 
Substances,  capable  of  supplying  Burning  Fluids. 
By  Thomas  Antisell,  M.D.,  Professor  of  Chemistry 
in  the  Medical  Department  of  Oeorgetown  College, 
D.  C,  &c.,  &c.  1  vol.  8vo.  Beautifully  printed. 
Cloth,  12. 

Considerations  on  some  of  the  Elements 

and  Conditions  of  Social  Welfare  and  Human  Pro- 
gress. Being  Academic  and  Occasional  Discourses 
and  other  Pieces.  By  C.  S.  Henry,  D.D.  1  vol. 
12mo.     $1  25. 

Science  Brought  Down  to  the  Tear  1860. 

Being  a  Supplement  to  Ure's  Dictionary  of  Arts, 
Manufactures,  and  Mines.  Taken  from  the  English 
Edition.  With  additions  by  an  American  Editor. 
One  thick  vol.  8vo,  $6. 


Milledulcia:  a  Thousand  Pleasant  Things. 

Selected  from  "  Notes  and  Queries."  12mo.  Cloth, 
top  edge  gilt,  $1  75;  in  half  calf,  $3;  morocco  an- 
tique, $3  60. 


NEW   BOOKS   AND  NEW   EDITIONS 

Shakespeare's  Works.     Edited,  with  a 

Scrupulous  Revision  of  the  Text,  by  Maky  Cowden 
Clarke,  Author  of  the  "  Complete  Concordance  to 
Shakespeare."  1  vol.  8vo,  1064  pages.  Illus- 
trated with  49  Illustrations.  Half  mor.,  top  gilt, 
$6;  half  calf,  $7  50;  mor.,  extra,  $10. 

2  vols.     1600  pages.    Illus> 

trated  with  49  Steel  Plates.  Half  mor.,  top  edges 
gilt,  $8;  half  calf,  $10;  full  mor.,  extra,  $15. 

Education ;     Intellectual,     Moral,    and 

Physical.  By  Herbert  Spencer,  Author  of  "  So- 
cial Statics,"  the  "  Principles  of  Psychology,"  and 
"Essays;  Scientific,  Political,  and  Speculative."  1 
vol.     12mo.     $1  25. 

A  Christmas  Dream.    By  James  T.  Brady. 

Illustrated  by  Edward  S.  Hall.     75  cents. 

The  Illustrated  Horse  Doctor :  being  an 

Accurate  and  Detailed  Account,  accompanied  by 
more  than  400  Pictorial  Representations  of  the  Va- 
rious Diseases  to  which  the  Equine  Eace  is  subjected ; 
together  with  the  Latest  Mode  of  Treatment,  and  all 
the  Fiequisite  Prescriptions,  written  in  plain  English. 
By  Edward  Mayhew,  M.  R.  C.  Y.  S.,  Author  of 
"  The  Horse's  Mouth ;  "  "  Dogs :  their  Management ;  " 
Editor  of  "  Blain's  Veterinary  Art,"  etc.  1  vol. 
8vo.     $2  50. 

The  New  American  Cyclopa3dia  :  a  Pop- 
ular Dictionary  of  General  Knowledge.  Edited  by 
George  Ripley  and  Ciias.  A.  Dana.  16voIs.,  8vo. 
Each  volume  containing  750  pages.  Price  in  cloth, 
$3  50  ;  sheep,  $4  00  ;  half  mor.,  $4  50  ;  half  Russia, 
^5  00.  ^ 


PUBLISHED   BY   D.    APPLETON   AND  COMPANY. 

A^briclgment  of  the  Debates  of  Congress 

from  1789  to  1856.  From  Gales  and  Seaton's  An- 
nals of  Congress ;  from  their  Register  of  Debates ; 
and  from  the  Official  Reported  Debates,  by  John  C. 
Rives.  By  Thomas  H.  Benton,  Author  of  the 
"  Thirty  Years'  View."  In  16  large  8vo.  vols., 
760  pages  each.  Price  in  cloth,  $3  60  per  vol.;  law 
sheep^  14  00 ;  half  mor.,  84.  60. 

Villas  on  the  Hudson:  a  Series  of  Thirty- 
one  Photo-Lithographs  of  Gentlemen's  Seats  on  the 
Hudson.     Oblong  4to.     Cloth,  $10  ;  half  mor.,  $12. 

The  niiistrated  Byron.     With  upwards 

of  Two  Hundred  Engravings  from  Original  Draw- 
ings, by  Kenny  Meadows,  Birket  Foster,  Hallet  K. 
Browne,  Gustav  Janet,  and  Edward  Morin.  (Nearly 
ready.) 

Fables,  Original  and  Selected;  with  an 

Introductory  Dissertation  on  the  History  of  Fable, 
comprising  Bibliographical  Notices  of  Eminent  Fab- 
ulists. By  G.  MoiR  BussEY.  Illustrated  with  Nu- 
merous Engravings  from  Designs  by  J.  J.  Granville. 
(Nearly  ready.) 

Adventures  of  Telemachus.     Translated 

by  Dr.  Hawkeswortii.  Embellished  with  upwards  of 
100  Engravings,  by  first-rate  artists.  1  vol.  8vo. 
(Nearly  ready.) 

Adventures  of  Gil   Blas^  of  Santillane. 

Translated  from  the  French  of  Le  Sage  by  T. 
Smollett,  M.  D.  Embellished  with  500  Engravings 
after  Designs  by  Giguoux.     (Nearly  ready.) 


NEW   BOOKS   AND   NEW   EDITIONS 

Moral  Emblems,  with  Ai^liorisms,  Ad- 
ages, and  Proverbs,  of  all  Ages  and  Nations.  From 
Jacob  Catz  and  Egbert  Fairlie.  With  120  Illus- 
trations truly  rendered  from  Designs  found  in  their 
Works,  by  John  Leighton,  F.  S.  A.  The  whole 
Translated  and  Edited,  with  Additions,  by  Kichaed 
PiGOT.  1  vol.  Koyal  8vo.  Cloth  gilt,  $7  50  ;  mor., 
$10  ;  mor.,  extra,  $12. 

The  Adventures  of  Brown,  Jones,  and 

Eobinson.  The  Most  Amusing  Adventures  of  Three 
English  Gentlemen  bearing  the  above  euphonious 
names.  Each  incident  in  their  Travels  on  the  Con- 
tinent is  Illustrated  by  a  Spirited  Design  of  a  Laugh- 
able Character.     1  vol.     4to.     $3  60. 

Hopes  and  Fears ;  or,  Scenes  from  the 

Life  of  a  Spinster  :  a  Novel.  By  the  Author  of 
"  The  Heir  of  Redclyffe."     2  vols.     $2. 

A  History  of  Civilization.    By  Henry  T. 

Buckle.     2  vols.  8vo,  Clotb,  SC 

The  History  of  Herodotus.  A  new  En- 
glish version.  Edited  with  copious  Notes  and  Appen- 
dices, illustrating  the  History  and  Geography  of 
Herodotus,  from  the  most  Ancient  Sources  of  Infor- 
mation ;  and  embodying  the  Chief  Results,  Histor- 
ical and  Ethnographical,  which  have  been  obtained 
in  the  progress  of  Cuneiform  and  Hieroglyphical  Dis- 
covery. By  George  Rawlinson,  M.  A.,  assisted 
by  Col.  Sir.  Henry  Rawlinson  and  Sir  J.  G.  Wilkin- 
Bon.  With  Maps  and  Illustrations.  4  vols.  8vo. 
Price  $12. 


PUBLISHED   BY   D.    APPLETON   AND   COMPANY. 

Remiuiscences  of  a  General  Officer  of 

Zouaves.      By   Gen.    Cler.      Translated   from   the 
French.     1  vol.    12mo.     Cloth,  $1  25. 

Life  of  AViUiam  T.  Porter.     By  Francis 

Beinley.     1  vol.     12mo.     $1  25. 

The  Ebony  Idol.     By  a  Lady  of  New 

England.     1  vol.     12mo.     Illustrated.     $1  25. 

What  may  be  Learned  from  a  Tree.    By 

Harland  Coultas.     1  vol.     8vo.     $1  25. 

The  Physiology  of  Common  Life.     By 

Geo.  Henry  Lewes.     2  vols.    12mo.     $2  50. 

Notes  on  Nursing ;  What  it  Is^  and  What 

it   is   Not.      By   Florence   Nightingale.      1   vol. 
12mo.     60  cents. 

Dr.  Oldham  at  Greystones^  and  his  Talk 

there.     1  vol.     12mo.     Price  $1  25. 

Voyage  Down  the  Amoor  ;  with  a  Jour- 
ney through  Siberia,  and  Incidental  Notes  of  Man- 
choria,  Kamschatka,  and  Japan.  By  Perry  Mc- 
DoNouGu  Collins.     1  vol.     12mo.     Cloth,  $1  50. 

A  Run  Through  Europe.     By  Erastus 

C.  Benedict.     1  vol.    12mo.     Price  $1  50. 

The  History  of  the  State  of  Rhode  Isl- 
and and  Providence  Plantations.  By  the  Hon.  Sam- 
uel Greene  Arnold.     2  vols.     Price  $Q. 


NEW  BOOKS  AND  NEW  EDITIONS 

The  Young  Step-Mother  ;  or,  a  Chronicle 

of  Mistakes.  By  the  Author  of  "  The  Heir  of  Rcd- 
clyffe."     2  vols.     12mo.     $2. 

A  Greek  Grammar,  for  Schools  and  Col- 
leges. By  James  Hadley,  Professor  in  Yale  College.. 
12mo.     366  pages.     $1  60. 

Vkgil's  ^neid;  with  Explanatory  Notes. 

33y  Hexry  S.  Frieze,  Professor  of  Latin  in  the  State 
University  of  Michigan.  12mo.  Eighty-five  illustra- 
tions.    598  pages.     $1  60. 

Spanish  Grammar.      A  New,  Practical, 

and  Easy  Method  of  Learning  the  Spanish  Language, 
after  the  system  of  A.  F.  Ahn,  Doctor  of  Philosophy, 
and  Professor  at  the  College  of  Neuss.  First  Amer^ 
ican  edition,  revised  and  enlarged.  12mo.  14J) 
pages.     90  cents.     Key,  15  cents. 

An  Elementary  Grammar  of  the  Italian 

Language.  Progressively  arranged  for  the  use  of 
Schools  and  Colleges.  By  Gr.  B.  Fontana.  12mo. 
236  pages.     U  25. 

Plato^s  Apology  and  Crito  ;  with  Notes. 

By  W.  S.  Tyler,  Graves  Professor  of  Greek  in  Am- 
herst College.     12mo.     180  pages.     $1. 

French  Syntax.     A  Com^se  of  Exercises 

in  all  parts  of  French  Syntax,  methodically  arranged 
after  Poitevin's  "  Syntaxe  Fran^aise  ;"  to  which  are 
added  ten  appendices ;  designed  for  the  use  of  Acad- 
emies, Colleges,  and  Private  Learners.  By  Fred- 
erick T.  WiNKELMANN,  A.M.  &  Ph.  D.,  Prof,  of 
Latin,  French,  an^  German,  in  the  Packer  Collegiate 
Institute.     12mo.     366  pages.     $1  25. 


PUBLISHED   BY   D.   APPLETON   AND   COMPANY. 

Course  of  Ancient  Geography,  Ar- 
ranged with  special  reference  to  Convenience  of  Re- 
citation. By  Prof.  H.  I.  Schmidt,  D.D.,  of  Colum- 
bia College.     12mo.     328  pages.     $1    25. 

A  First  Greek  Book  and  Introductory 

Reader.  By  Prof.  A.  Harkness,  Ph.  D.,  of  Brown 
University,  Author  of  "  Arnold's  First  Latin  Book," 
"  Second  Latin  Book,"  etc.    $1  25. 

A  Primary  History  of  the  United  States. 

Made  Easy  and  Interesting  for  Beginners.  By  Gr. 
P.  QuACKENBOs,  A.  M.,  Author  of"  Illustr^fted  School 
History  of  the  United  States."  Child's  quarto.  200 
pages,  and  numerous  engravings.     Price  G3  cents. 

Macaulay^s  Later  Miscellanies.     1  vol. 

12mo.     $1. 

Notes  on  the  Parables  Condensed.     By 

Richard  Chexevix  Trench,  M.  A.  1  vol.  12mo. 
$1  25. 

The  Chemistry  of  Common    Life.     By 

James  F.  Johnston,     2  vols.     12mo.     $2  50. 

Bryant  &  Stratton^s  Commercial  Law. 

For  Business  Men,  including  Merchants,  Farmers, 
Mechanics,  &c.,  and  Book  of  Reference  for  the  Legal 
Profession,  adapted  to  all  the  States  of  the  Union. 
To  be  used  as  a  Text-book  for  Law  Schools  and 
Commercial  Colleges,  with  a  large  variety  of  Prac- 
tical Forms  most  commonly  required  in  Business 
Transactions.  Edited  by  Judge  Amos  Dean.  1  vol. 
8vo.      Price  $3. 


NEW   BOOKS    AND   NEW    EDITIONS 

The   History  of  the   United   States  oi 

America,  from  the  Discovery  of  the  Continent  to  the 
Close  of  the  First  Session  of  the  35th  Congress. 
By  J.  M.  Patton,  A.  M.     1  vol.     8vo.     Cloth.    $3. 

Bertha    Percy ;     or^    L^Esperance  :     a 

Novel.     By  Margaret  Field.     1  vol.  12mo.  $1.50. 

History   of  France^  from   the   Earhest 

Times  to  MDCCCXLVIII.  By  Rev.  James  White, 
Author  of  "  The  Eighteen  Christian  Centuries."  1 
large  vol.  8vo.     Cloth,  $2  50. 

Vaughan^s  Enghsh  Revohitions.  Revo- 
lutions in  English  History.  Yol.  I.  Revolutions  of 
Race,  By  Robert  Vaughan,  D.D.  1  large  vol. 
8vo.     Cloth,  $2  50. 

Fundamental   Ideas  of  Mechanics  and 

Experimental  Data,  by  A.  Morin.  Revised,  Trans- 
lated, and  reduced  to  English  Units  of  Measure.  By 
Joseph  BE^^NETT,  Civil  Engineer.    1  vol.  8vo.  $3.50. 

Handbook   of    Household  Science.     A 

Popular  Account  of  Heat,  Light,  Air,  Aliment,  and 
Cleansing,  in  their  Scientific  Principles  and  Domestic 
Applications.  By  Prof.  E.  L.  Youmans.  New  edi- 
tion, carefully  revised,  with  Questions  for  Schools. 
12mo.     $1  50. 

A  History  of  the  Four  Georges^  Kings 

of  England ;  containing  Personal  Incidents  of  their 
Lives,  Public  Events  of  t*heir  Reigns,  and  Biograph- 
ical Notices  of  their  chief  Ministers,  Courtiers,  and 
Favorites.  By  Samuel  M.  Smucker,  LL.D.,  Author 
of  "  Court  and  Reign  of  Catharine  IL,"  "  Memorable 
Scenes  in  French  History,"  "  Life  and  Times  of  Alex- 
ander Hamilton,"  etc,     1  handsome  vol.     8vo.    81  50. 


PUBLISHED   BY    D.    APPLETON   AND    COMPANY. 

Appleton^s  Eailway  Guide.  Contain- 
ing Time  Tables  of  all  the  Railroads  in  the  United 
States.  Illustrated  by  Maps  of  the  Principal  Roads 
and  Through  Routes,  and  a  large  General  Map. 
Published  semi-monthly.     Price  25  cts. 

Appleton^s    Companion    Handbook    of 

Travel,  containing  a  full  Description  of  the  Prin- 
cipal Cities,  Towns,  and  Places  of  Interest,  together 
with  Hotels,  and  Routes  of  Travel  through  the  Unit- 
ed States  and  the  Canadas.  With  colored  Maps. 
Edited  by  T.  Addison  Richards.  Paper  covers, 
50  cts. ;  cloth,  75  cts. 

Appleton's     Illustrated    Handbook     of 

Travel.  A  Guide  by  Railway,  Steamboat,  and  Stage, 
to  the  Cities,  Towns,  Waterfalls,  Mountains,  Rivers, 
Lakes,  Hunting  and  Fishing  Grounds,  Watering 
Places,  Summer  Resorts,  and  all  Scenes  and  Objects 
of  Interest  in  the  United  States  and  British  Prov- 
inces. By  T.  Addison  Richards.  With  careful 
Maps  of  all  parts  of  the  Country,  and  200  Pictures 
of  Famous  Scenes  and  Places.  From  Original 
Drawings  by  the  Author  and  other  Artists.  1  vol. 
12mo.  400  pages,  double  columns.  Flexible  cloth. 
Price  $2  00.  The  Northern  and  Eastern  States 
separately,  $1.25,  The  Southern  and  Western  States 
separately,  $1  25. 

Beaumont  and  Fletcher's  Works.     The 

Poetical  and  Dramatic  Works  of  Beaumont  and 
Fletcher.  With  an  Introduction  by  George  Darley, 
to  which  is  added  Notes  and  Glossary.  2  handsome 
vols.  Royal  8vo.  Well  printed.  Cloth,  86;  in 
sheep,  $7 ;  half  calf,  extra,  $9. 


NEW   BOOKS   AND   NEW   EDITIONS 

Humanics.     A  new  treatise  on  Mental 

Philosophy.  By  T.  Whahton  Collins,  Professor  of 
Political  Philosoj^hy,  University  of  Louisiana,  Ex- 
presiding  Judge,  City  Court  of  New  Orleans,  &c. 
1  neat  vol.     Small  8vo.     Cloth,  $2. 

Great   Facts :    a  Popular   History  and 

Description  of  the  most  remarkable  Inventions  during 
the  present  century.  By  Fred.  C.  Bakewell.  Il- 
lustrated with  numerous  engravings.  1  vol.  12mo. 
Cloth,  $1  25. 

The    Eighteen  Christian  Centuries.    By 

the  Rev.  James  White,  Author  of  a  "  History  of 
France."  With  a  copious  Index.  1  thick  vol. 
12mo.     Cloth,  $1  50. 

Evenings  at  the  Microscope;  or,  Re- 
searches among  the  minute  organs  and  forms  of 
Animal  Life.  By  P.  H.  GtOSSe.  Published  under 
the  direction  of  the  Committee  of  General  Literature 
and  Education,  appointed  by  the  Society  for  Promot- 
ing Christian  Knowledge.  1  vol.,  with  fine  engrav- 
ings.    Clotli,  $1  75. 

Dies  Ira3,  in  Thirteen  Original  Versions. 

By  Abraham  Coles,  M.B.  1  elegantly  printed 
vol.,  with  two  Engravings  and  Music,  in  crown  8vo. 
Beautifully  bound  in  morocco  antique,  84 ;  cloth,  gilt 
edges,  $2. 

Breakfast,  Dinner,  and  Tea,  viewed  Clas- 
sically, Poetically,  and  Practically.  Containing 
numerous  curious  Dishes  and  Feasts,  of  all  Times 
and  Countries.  Besides  Three  Hundred  Modern 
Receipts.  1  vol.  Square  12mo.  Beautifully  printed. 
In  extra  cloth,  gilt  top,  $1  75. 


UNIVEESITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY, 
BERKELEY 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 

STAMPED  BELOW 

Books  not  returned  on  time  are  subject  to  a  fine  of 
50c  per  volume  after  the  third  day  overdue,  increasing 
to  $1.00  per  volume  after  the  sixth  day.  Books  not  in 
demand  may  be  renewed  if  application  is  made  before 
expiration  of  loan  period. 


IVIAli 


1921 


my 


mm 


"b 


5/^^ 


J^ 


LD  NOV  IS '69 -3PM 

OtC20  W       I 

EECCiR.   JUL12  1979 


atv 


^^'^ 


,.«^^ 


!««C8 


APR    51952 


OCT  3  0  1969  3  8 


JAN  291^ 

ZJUIO  CISCFEB  01  '89 


20»»-ll,'20 


U.C.  BERKELEY  LIBRARIES 


CDObBSSMMD 


I: 


ft 
I  If 

H 

■      '4      ]  \ 


